Harry Potter and the Power of Two
by Colt01
Summary: How would Harry have grown up if James and Lily had been smart and prepared for their encounter with Voldemort? Harry has a twin brother, but what if his brother's love and support is the 'power the Dark Lord knows not' Smart and supportive James and Lily; Harry/Daphne
1. The Boys Who Lived

**HARRY POTTER AND THE POWER OF TWO**

 **AN:** I have read several Wrong BWL stories and I can't help but feel disappointed. Why is it that James and Lily are always portrayed as bad parents? Sure, there are those rare one or two fics where at least Lily tries to redeem herself, but James is vilified in nearly every one of them! James is a pureblood; why would he be ready to give up his own son like that when wizards emphasize on family? I really don't get it. James and Lily are said to be smart and highly intelligent, so that doesn't explain their behaviour. Dumbledore tells them to leave Harry with Petunia and they readily agree! I don't understand that at all and usually, this follows with Harry becoming a Dark Lord or joining Voldemort. In the end, what does Dumbledore gain out of this? Not really sure.

This isn't the typical wrong BWL story, though it might include the occasional fanfiction clichés, but at least it isn't anything like the stories I have read before. I hope you all enjoy it! By the way, I have made James and Lily older. It won't be much of a problem as I won't be writing about their Hogwarts years, but instead of the canon 21 years, they are 26 years old – five years older. Everything else remains the same.

 **Description:** How would Harry have grown up if James and Lily had been smart and prepared for their encounter with Voldemort? Harry has a twin brother, but what if his brother's love and support is the 'power the Dark Lord knows not?' Smart and supportive James and Lily; Harry/Daphne

 **DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. IT BELONGS TO JK ROWLING

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Chapter 1

31st October, 1981

A tall, pale man Apparated in the middle of the high street of Godric's Hollow and smiled under his hood. So, this was the village where that muggle loving fool Godric Gryffindor was born. Well, it certainly explained why those filthy animals still infested the place. With long strides, he walked to the place where he knew his target was located. He was quite amused about this latest development. Just a few weeks back, the family was under heavy, impenetrable wards at their ancestral manor. But now, the fools had listened to Dumbledore's idiocy and they were going to die as a result. He didn't care that he was going to wipe out another pureblood family as old as any; after all, it's not he actually believed in blood superiority. No, he hated muggles, sure, but he knew that power was the only thing that mattered. After all, he himself was a half-blood and he was more powerful than any of the purebloods in the country. He mentally snorted; how foolish the people were! He knew that power rested with the old families and other influential people; he had used his power to charm and intimidate them and he was now the most powerful and feared man in the country!

His thoughts went back to the family he was soon going to wipe out. The Potters were one of the oldest pureblood families in the world and he knew that should there be a boy who was destined to defeat him, it would be from them. He had come to personally take care of them, but he had instructed Bellatrix to take care of the Longbottoms as well – just as a precaution. They were probably observing the wards around their Manor now. It would take some time, but he was confident that the Longbottom boy would be disposed of as well.

When dear Severus had informed him about the prophecy, he had been shocked. Who had the power to defeat HIM? He was Lord Voldemort! He had learnt magic and pushed boundaries of magic which no other witch or wizard ever had in history. He had immediately confirmed it with his trusted spy, Rockwood and had started searching for a potential candidate – that was when he was informed by Peter Pettigrew that both Lily Potter and Alice Longbottom were pregnant. More than a year ago, Alice had given birth to Neville Francis Longbottom on the 30th of July, while Lily had given birth to the identical twins Hadrian James and Alexander Charlus Potter on the 31st. From what Wormtail had told him, the twins were powerful babies, which was why he had decided to target them first. Besides, he figured that since he was a half-blood himself, it stands to reason that another half-blood would be his foe.

He could see the house now since he knew the secret. The windows were charmed in such a way that a person on the outside couldn't see what was going on inside the house, but it didn't matter. He knew the wards that were placed around the house from what Wormtail had told him. How ridiculous to think that only a Fidelius Charm would protect them! He found it distasteful that the Potters were so stupid as to trust someone else with their lives. What a fitting end to the once all-powerful family. With a flick of his wand, the gate opened and he stepped into the small courtyard. With another flick, the front door was blasted open. It was time to eliminate the threat of the child of the prophecy.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

James Potter sat in the family living room on the ground floor of their new home and sighed. He still wasn't used to this place and he didn't think he ever would. For a person who grew up in a large and expansive manor, this cottage was too cramped. But he didn't care about that; after all, he would gladly live on the streets if it was to protect his family. Speaking of family –

"Dada!" said a voice. James turned and smiled as he saw his eldest son taking a few steps slowly as he walked to the couch. He kneeled down on his knees and said, "Come on, Harry. You can do it. Come to me slowly."

Harry smiled brightly as any fifteen-month-old baby could do. Just as he reached his father, James grabbed his son and spun him around, making the baby giggle excitedly.

"You want to fly on your broom, Harry?" asked James as he positioned his oldest son on his lap.

"Yay! Brum!" said Harry, clapping his hands in happiness.

"I don't think so" said a voice, entering the living room. James looked up and saw an astonishingly beautiful woman with dark red hair and gorgeous green eyes. His eyes immediately lit up when he saw his wife, who was holding an identical looking boy in her arms.

"It's too late to flying on the broom, James" said Lily shaking her head as he handed Alex to her husband. "Why not wait till tomorrow morning?"

"Mama! Brum!" said Alex, clapping alongside his brother. James grinned and said, "Oh, come on Lily. They are both natural fliers! Didn't you see how they flew around the manor the last time?"

Lily glared at her husband. "Yes, and I didn't mind then. But we are in a new place and I don't feel as safe here as I did at the manor. It's late in the night and I don't want them to get hurt."

James chuckled as he went over and gave his wife a deep kiss. "Don't worry, Lils. I wasn't going to do so anyway. Stay optimistic, love. We have taken precautions. I don't like this arrangement any more than you do and had my parents been alive, they would have thought we were idiots, but that doesn't discount the fact that the Fidelius is an excellent idea."

Lily hugged her husband tightly as James stroked her hair. "I feel too vulnerable" she whispered into his chest. "I wish we could place it on the manor, but none of us is powerful enough to do it. The place is way too big, but -"

"But nothing" said James, looking at her lovingly. "We are prepared for any danger. You know what to do if it comes to it."

Lily's eyes brimmed with tears. "I can't lose you" she whispered. "I've already lost my parents and I can't ever count on Petunia to be my family. You, Harry and Alex are all I have left."

"I know how you feel" said James, as he pulled her to his lap; Harry and Alex were content with playing with each other. "But we have to do it for these two. But don't worry Lily. I'm sure it won't -"

James stopped in mid-sentence, his heart beating faster. The wards alerted him that someone had crossed the Fidelius charm threshold and the secondary wards informed him that it wasn't anyone they knew.

"He's here; we have been betrayed" he whispered, pushing his wife off him. "Lily, take the boys and go! I'll hold him off! Plan A!"

"No!" said Lily, shaking her head angrily. "Plan B!"

"Lily this is no time to argue!" said James angrily as he started casting wards at the door. "Plan A; GET OUT!"

"I'm sorry, James" said Lily, taking her two boys in her arms. "It's Plan B. I never agreed to Plan A. I am a muggleborn; it just won't work. Execute Plan B or our children could end up orphans! I love you."

With that, Lily Potter quickly made her way to the stairs with her children just as the front door was blasted open. James snarled; why couldn't his wife listen to him for once? It was rather stupid of him, really. He should have known that Lily would never agree to Plan A just like he would never agree to Plan B. She had always planned to execute Plan B; she just never planned on telling him until the last moment. But since they were under attack, he had no choice but to go ahead with it. He didn't want to leave his boys orphans.

"James Potter" said Voldemort silkily. "How nice to meet you again; step aside."

"We meet again, Vodemort" said James with utter fury on his face. "If you think I'll just step aside and let you kill my family, you're more self-deluded and insane than I thought."

Without waiting for a second longer, James slashed his wand in the air as curses flew from his wand. Voldemort laughed as he started duelling with the younger man. While James Potter was an accomplished Auror, he was no match for Voldemort. James's face was blank as he fought with everything he had. He used his talent in Transfiguration to the best as Voldemort upped his attacks. He knew it was time. . .

Just as Voldemort fired a killing curse, James activated the rune set which was on the floor. With an explosion, the living room was partially destroyed, throwing James Potter behind debris, as he lay there unmoving. In the confusion and smoke, Voldemort didn't see the killing curse impact a thick block of marble and the broken pieces impacting James. The Dark Lord looked at the still heap of debris, no doubt containing the dead body of James Potter. He laughed at the man's foolish bravery as he made his way to the first floor; a fitting end to the line of Gryffindor.

In the meantime, Lily Potter had quickly taken her boys to the nursery. She shut the door and cast the standard silencing wards and any others which barred Voldemort entry. She knew it wouldn't work, but it wasn't as though she was trying to stop the Dark Lord; she was laying a trap for him. She placed the boys on the crib; both children now knew that something was wrong.

"Mama?" asked Alex innocently. Lily chocked back a sob as she kissed Harry and Alex on their foreheads.

"Alex, Harry, mama loves you very much" she said softly. "Whatever you do, never let each other go. You are both powerful as a team; don't ever forget that. I want you to know how very much I love you. Daddy will take care of you from now on."

With that, she pointed her wand at the crib and started hissing slowly. She knew that she was going to die very soon, but she really hoped that James was still alive. She didn't want her boys to grow up orphans. The parseltongue chant got louder as she walked around the crib. The entire crib glowed an emerald green as she finished the final chant of the ritual. Just as she stepped back, the door of the room was blasted open. Returning her wand quickly to her holster, she stood in front of her children, with defiance shining in her eyes.

"Not my children" she begged as Voldemort entered the room. "Please, spare them. Take me instead!"

"Step aside, woman" said Voldemort silkily. As much as he wanted to kill the mudblood, he had promised Severus that he would spare her and let him use her as his toy; after all, the Death Eater had reported the prophecy to him. He deserved some kind of reward. Ah, Severus was such a good dog . . . if only the others would learn from him.

"No, please have mercy!" said Lily, shielding her boys with her hands arms and standing defiantly in front of them, as though she was trying to protect them physically.

Voldemort rolled his eyes and let loose a scarlet stunner. The shock on her face as Lily saw the stunner was still visible as she hit the floor, unconscious. Voldemort was amused. Now, which one should he kill first? He looked at the boys. They certainly were twins alright; he couldn't tell who was the elder or younger. One of the boys had started sniffing and crying while the other looked at him with anger apparent in his green eyes. Voldemort smirked.

"How adorable" said Voldemort, looking at the boy. "I can sense the power within you, boy. Your eyes reflect it. You will be the one die first and then your brother will follow. I wonder what your name is."

"Hawwy!" screamed the boy as he glared, as much as a baby could. "Eu 'ad man!"

"Yes, I am the bad man" said Voldemort as he laughed. "Such bravery for a one year old child; your ancestor would be proud, Hadrian Potter. Get ready to die!"

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ "

The Dark Lord watched with satisfaction as the green jet of light of the killing curse flew towards the child who had now positioned himself in front of his brother, attempting to shield him. But to his shock, the curse struck the boy's forehead and bounced back at him. He didn't have time to dodge as he was frozen in shock as the curse hit him. PAIN! It was pain beyond pain! He felt his soul being ripped from his body, but he knew that he couldn't die. He fled the house immediately. He had failed; he was furious at his failure. But he knew it was only a matter of time before his servants tried to find him.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Peter Pettigrew looked at the house with trepidation. Had his master been successful? When he heard an explosion, he went over to investigate. The living room was a mess and he guessed that James was buried under the debris, dead. His heart ached for his once best friend, but he knew that it was pointless in rebelling against the Dark Lord. He quickly made his way to the nursery and he gasped. The ceiling had been blasted off as had one side of the wall. Lily was lying on the floor and the children were unmoving on the crib as well. But where was his master? His eyes went wide as he saw the cloak and wand on the floor. That was his master's wand! But how? Had he been defeated? Without hesitating, he took the wand and stuffed it inside his robes. Without wasting another second, he left the house.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

James Potter woke up with a groan. He was aching all over and had a massive headache. His eyes went wide as he realised what had happened. He immediately got up and pushed the debris away. He found his wand and with quick steps he ran to the nursery and stopped dead in his tracks. His wife Lily, the love of his live, was lying on the floor. James went over to her and hugged her body as he cried, grief clouding everything around him. Just then, to his shock, she moved! He looked down and Lily opened her eyes with a groan.

"LILY!" he shouted in happiness as he hugged his wife tightly.

"James?" she asked confused. "Are we dead?"

"No, love" he said with a smile. "We're alright, we -"

His eyes went wide as he let her go and went to check on his boys. "Harry, Alex, wake up!" he said desperately as he cast a charm to verify if they were alive. Plan B had been a failure. He had survived, but so had Lily; which meant that the protection didn't work as it should have. But to his shock, the boys were still alive.

"My babies!" cried Lily as she hugged both unconscious boys to her chest. "They're still alive! How? Oh, Alex, Harry!"

James had tears of happiness flowing down his cheeks. He looked around the room and spotted Voldemort's robes lying on the ground.

"Lily, we have to get out of here. Voldemort seems to have disappeared, though I'm not sure how it happened. This place is a mess; let's head back to the manor."

"How could Peter betray us?" she snarled, taking Harry in her arms as James carried Alex. "We trusted him with our lives!"

"That's something I want to know as well" said James coldly as they climbed down the stairs. Just then, they hear a familiar voice.

"James! Lily!" said Sirius, shouting frantically, as tears rolled down his face. He spotted the couple safe and sound, along with their children and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank Merlin you're alright" he said, giving them both a brief hug. "I thought – I thought -"

"We're alright, Padfoot" said James. "But Voldemort did attack us. The rat seems to have betrayed us."

Sirius went red in the face, but before he could say anything, they could hear loud crying. All three of them pointed his wands at the door in case they need to defend themselves, with Sirius moving in front of them both. Just as a curse was on their lips, they saw Hagrid walk into the house.

"Hagrid?" asked Lily incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

The half-giant looked at the people in the room and stopped in shock. He looked like he wasn't able to believe his eyes as he said, "James, Lily! Yeh guys are okay! I though' yeh were dead!"

"Thank you for your concern, Hagrid" said James carefully. "But again, what are you doing here?"

Since both Plans A and B involved blowing up the small ward stone that was set directly below the living room in a small compartment, the Fidelius charm had come unravelled. James was on edge; something was not right.

"Professo' Dumbledore asked meh to bring Alex and Harry to yeh sister's, Lily. We though' you were dead!" said Hagrid.

Lily went red in the face. "You what?" she screamed, just as the boys woke up, crying. Handing Harry over to his godfather, Lily went forward and said, "You were going to take my babies to _Petunia_? Who gave you the authority to do so?"

Hagrid looked confused. "Professo' Dumbledore said to bring them there immediately. He said the boys would beh sent there to live with your sister's family."

"EXCUSE ME?" screamed James, Lily and Sirius at the same time. "My children live with those magic hating bigots? What is Dumbledore thinking?" roared James. "Our Will says that they should never be taken anywhere near them!"

"Why did Dumbledore think James and Lily were dead while Harry and Alex were not?" asked Sirius angrily. "Besides, why should they be taken to Petunia when I'm still here? I'm Harry's oath sworn godfather!"

"B-but yeh betrayed them!" said Hagird angrily. "Yeh were their secret keeper, Dumbledore said so!"

"Peter Pettigrew was our secret keeper!" yelled Lily, her green eyes blazing with fury. "Dumbledore knew that as he was the one to put up the Fidelius charm. Just what he is playing at? GET OUT! Tell Dumbledore to come talk to us himself then! My boys aren't leaving my sight!"

A scared Hagrid quickly backed out of the living room and went out of the cottage. James was now trying to calm his boys down and that's when he noticed an angry red mark on both the boys' foreheads with blood around the wound and minor cuts on their arms and legs as well from the falling shrapnel in the room. The scar on Harry's forehead was the shape of a lightning while there was an odd 'V' shaped scar on Alex's forehead.

"We'll need to get these looked at" he whispered as Lily cast sleeping charms on them. Just as they were about to leave, a hook nosed man in black robes entered the house. James' eyes went wide when he saw the man.

"YOU!" he shouted in anger. "What the hell are you doing here, Snape?"

Snape stood slack jawed as he looked at the people in front of him. While he had wanted Lily to live so that he could have her for himself, he had expected the Dark Lord to have killed James Potter and his two brats. What had happened? He was curious, but he knew that this was not the place to be, if the furious expressions on their faces were any indication. He immediately ran out of the cottage.

Sirius took out his mirror and said, "Amelia Bones"

After several seconds, he saw the face of a woman with red hair and grey eyes. "What is it Sirius?" she asked to her fiancé.

"Amy, James and Lily were attacked by Voldemort" said Sirius, making the woman gasp in horror. "They're both fine, as are the kids, but Dumbledore is playing some funny games here. Voldemort seems to have disappeared somehow, and Peter Pettigrew, the secret keeper is probably on the run. I need you to inform Mad-Eye about this so that he can come here and take care of it."

"Understood" she said firmly and the mirror went blank.

James turned to Lily and said, "Lils, take the boys and go back to the manor. You'll be safe there. Sirius and I will remain here to take care of the situation."

Lily nodded. She took the babies in her arms as James made a portkey. Since the ward stone was destroyed, he disabled the secondary anti-portkey wand and sent her on her way. With a flash of light, Lily Potter disappeared along with her children.

Sirius turned to his best friend. "James, how – how is that you're all alive?" he asked as he hugged him tightly.

James smiled and said, "We had a contingency plans in place, Sirius. The ward stone was rigged to explode with a smart array of runes, see?" he asked, showing the damaged runes on the floor. "Lily and I came up with two plans. We knew that both of us couldn't survive if the worst happened, so we decided to form a plan where one of us survived. Plan A was the ward stone exploding, creating an almighty explosion, killing Voldemort and me at the same time while Lily and the boys could escape through the concealed back door. The second alternative was for Lily to use an ancient sacrificial ritual to save the boys while I faked my death. She didn't listen to me at the final moment so I was forced to execute Plan B. Voldemort was too overconfident and didn't sense the trap. I made the ward stone explode, though not with the same intensity as Plan A, and that knocked me out. Voldemort seemed to have gone after Lily and for some reason, he didn't kill her. That's what is confusing; how did the boys survive when the sacrificial ritual was not completed? I don't understand!"

"How does the ritual work?" asked Sirius curiously.

James paused. He didn't want to reveal that his wife was a parselmouth. He himself had taken some time to comprehend and accept that and he didn't want anyone to call his wife a dark witch. Merlin knows she was in danger enough without more publicity.

"As I said, it was a modified sacrificial ritual, the original which we found in the Potter library. She had to die to protect Alex and Harry. Not sure what happened as she is alive and so are the kids."

Just then, Alastor Moody and a group of Aurors entered the house. James took a deep breath. This was going to be along night. He just hoped he could handle it.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Albus Dumbledore looked at Hagrid in shock. James and Lily were alive? How was that possible? The prophecy had come true; Voldemort had been vanquished, but he had expected James and Lily to die in the attempt. He had wanted to place young Harry and Alex with their aunt so that they would be safe until they were old enough to go to Hogwarts.

"B-but you said they were dead, Albus!" said Minerva McGonagall in shock. "Are you telling me that you didn't even go to check up on them?"

"I thought they were dead" said Albus gravely. "It is better if you both returned to Hogwarts. I'm sure I have a lot of work to do tonight."

With that, he turned on his heel and Disapparated and appeared in the middle of the high street of Godric's Hollow. To his surprise, the place was swarming with Aurors. Just what had happened here? News still hadn't broken out that Voldemort was vanquished, so no one knew about it. Mentally, he sighed in relief. Tom had destroyed too many lives to count and it was a relief that he was finally defeated. He wasn't sure if the twisted man had been killed, but even temporary peace would do the country good right now after more than a decade of war.

As he walked to the front steps, he saw James and Sirius talking to Alastor. He quickened his steps and entered the living room of the cottage.

"James" he said smiling, eyes twinkling. "I'm glad you are alright. Where are Lily and the children?"

"Away from you!" spat James. "Just who do you think you are in trying to take our children and place them with Petunia?"

Albus paused. This question wasn't a good one to answer. The truth was that he wanted to keep the children safe and ensure that they came to Hogwarts as normal children and not as spoiled brats. He didn't know which twin was the child of the prophecy and he wanted to keep a close eye on them. He knew they would have suffered had he placed them there, but it was for the greater good. At least they would be safe from the Death Eaters once he erected a strong blood ward. After all, their protection was the biggest priority right now.

"I thought it was a perfect decision, James" said Dumbledore. "I wanted to keep the boys safe and Lily's sister was the perfect person for it."

"Except I mentioned specifically in my will that Harry and Alex were never to go there!" said James angrily. "She and her fat husband are magic hating bigots, Albus! My boys would have been abused by them! If you were so concerned for their safety, why didn't you give them to Alex's godmother? You should have taken them to Longbottom Manor as was stated in our will! If not, Sirius is Harry's oath sworn godfather. Why didn't you contact him? Speaking of which, Hagrid told us that you told him Sirius was our secret keeper. Care to explain?"

Albus thought furiously and replied, "A slip of the tongue, James" he said with a smile. "I meant to say Peter, but in my shock, I said that it was Sirius. My apologies. Now, do you mind telling me what happened?"

"Voldemort's robes are in the nursery, Albus" said Moody gruffly. "Go see for yourself."

James and Sirius looked at each other and followed. Dumbledore took out his wand and started scanning the room, muttering in a strange tongue. After a minute, he stepped back and said, "Extraordinary"

"What is?" said Sirius testily. He was still pissed that Dumbledore had nearly had him a target for the Aurors by claiming that he was the Secret Keeper, even if it was by accident. He hoped that rat got what he deserved.

"It seems Voldemort has been vanquished. I can detect a stunning spell and a killing curse. There is some other magical residue that I cannot recognise" he said, making James stiffen involuntarily "but one of your sons is clearly responsible for defeating Voldemort and surviving the killing curse! One of them is the Boy Who Lived!"

"Oh, how convenient" said Sirius sarcastically, his face haughty as he looked at the Headmaster. "A nice title, Albus. Did you have time to work on it? Besides, there were two babies there, not one. Both of them survived. How can you say that only one of them was responsible? Besides, I find that fifteen month old babies surviving a killing curse and destroying a Dark Lord plain ludicrous!"

James frowned. They knew about the prophecy even if they didn't know the full wording; Albus had refused to tell them the whole wording of the prophecy, must to the annoyance of the Potters and Longbottoms.

"My scans do not lie, Sirius" said Dumbledore mildly. "May I see the children, James? It would be prudent to see who the Boy Who Lived is."

"I don't think so" said James flatly. "What you are trying to do is bring unwanted attention to my family. I'm not going to let that happen. We don't know what happened to Voldemort and my sons had nothing to do with it."

"But that would be lying, James" said Dumbledore with a frown. "Besides, all the Aurors here know the story. Don't you think the public deserves to know what happened? They need to know who their hero is."

James went red in the face. "I won't let you glorify one of my sons just because the public wishes to know" he said dangerously. "This isn't a game, Albus. Harry and Alex are my children and I will protect them with any means necessary. Stay out of it."

"Come on Sirius, let's go."

With twin cracks, both of them Disapparated, just as two House-Elves appeared in their place. The elves snapped their fingers and all the personal items in the house disappeared and they erased the runes that were drawn on the floor. With another twin cracks, they disappeared.

Albus Dumbledore frowned. Why were James and Sirius acting like this? He was only trying to determine who the child of the prophecy was! It's not like he had done anything wrong. He was only doing what was best for the country by finding out which child was the one marked by Voldemort. With a huff, he Disapparated too, not noticing the suspicious look being sent his way by Alastor Moody.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

James and Sirius appeared in front of the large gates. The Potter crest, which were two Griffins facing each other, with a shield and two joined swords on a red background were proudly looking at them. James flicked his wand at the gates and they went inside. The modified shrinking and distance distortion charms placed on the path from the front gates to the manor reduced their time in walking there by a large margin; otherwise it would have taken them hours to reach the place. A minute later, a beautiful and enormous manor was visible. The lightning charms were all turned on, no doubt by Lily because of the paranoia that no doubt followed after what happened tonight. Even after so many years of growing up here, the sheer beauty of the manor captivated him every time. They quickly passed by the water fountain and entered through the front door. They found Lily in the informal drawing room, pacing.

"Lily we're back" said James, but he found a wand being pointed at his face.

"Who did I agree to go out with in fifth year instead of James Potter when I called him an arrogant toe rag?" she asked, sparks flying from her wand. "Answer me!"

"You said that you would rather go out with the giant squid" said James, confused as to why she was doing this; the wards wouldn't have given him access had he been an imposter. But then again, paranoia was something all of them were facing at the moment. Lily sighed as she threw herself on one of the plush sofas. "What happened?"

Sirius began explaining what had happened to Lily when she said, "He wants to declare one of them the Boy Who Lived?" she asked incredulously. "That is just asking for trouble! That would drive them apart! Petunia hated me after she found out that I was a witch and she wasn't. The same is going to happen to Harry and Alex if one of them is declared the hero while the other isn't. It will essentially destroy our family no matter how much we try to be fair to both."

James sighed, rubbing his eyes. "What do we do? We can't silence it. Voldemort being defeated by a mere baby would make the public flock to them. I don't want it at all, but we all know that Albus is instant on doing it. I'm at a loss."

"Maybe not" said Sirius, as a slow grin formed on his face.

"What do you mean Sirius?" asked Lily curiously.

"Well" said Sirius. "We can't stop the boys from being dragged into this; we don't have a better theory and clearly no one is going to doubt Albus Dumbledore's word on the matter. Currently, he doesn't know who the child of the prophecy is, which is why he wants to see the boys. What if we declare to the public that they are both the saviours? That they both defeated Voldemort and the public would brand them the _Boys_ Who Lived."

James and Lily looked at each other. With a start, they both ran over and gave Sirius a big hug.

"Uff! Get off!"

"Padfoot, you are a genius!" exclaimed James.

"You really are!" said Lily grinning. "Who knew you actually had a brain?"

"Hey!" said Sirius indignantly as they all laughed, releasing their pent up emotions. Once done, they left immediately, not wanting to waste another minute.

"What's the plan?" asked James.

"Oh, come on Prongs, you know what we're going to do" said Sirius grinning. "The Marauders ride again."

"Act as though we're drunk and announce it in different bars all over the country while changing the glamour charms on us each time?" asked James.

"Exactly"

"Well then, let's get started. I could use a drink or two after what happened."

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Lily entered the master bedroom where the twins were sleeping on the bed. She sighed as she looked at them.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you both" she whispered, looking at her children. "But I'm more useful to you alive than dead. We won't let you down again. I promise."

She then leaned down and kissed the boys on the foreheads.

Hadrian and Alexander Potter slept peacefully in each other's arms, not knowing the chaos that was going on all over the country. While Lily hadn't been able to save them, she couldn't stop fate from taking its course. The prophecy had taken effect and Old Magic itself had intervened, protecting the boys from harm. No one could change destiny as Voldemort had to be vanquished at this time. Fate demanded it and Magic complied.

"To Harry and Alex Potter – The Boys Who Lived!" said several people as they raised their drinks in celebration.

"May Merlin bless the Potter twins!"

"Long live Harry and Alex Potter!"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** Here we are! The two children are now the heroes of Magical Britain. As you can see, this Dumbledore isn't like the one in Lightning Lord. He isn't the evilish delusional mastermind, though he certainly is manipulative. Sorry about the rant, but again, James and Lily are said to be very smart in canon (James did become an animagus at 15 and that is no small feat!) Why would they not be prepared? I really hate the way James Potter is made to look like a fool in Book 7 where he doesn't even have a wand in hand when Voldemort attacks. Making James a villain and Snape a hero is something that bothers me greatly.

As for how the Potters know that Peter betrayed them, well, that's how the Fidelius charm works. You can't get the secret by torture or coercion or even through Legilimency or Veriteserum from what I have read. The Secret Keeper has to give up the secret willingly and directly.

For the reviewers of the last chapter of Lightning Lord, thank you! I will upload another chapter there, just to let you all know when I post Part 2 if that's what you would like, but it won't be anytime soon as I'm working on this story for now.

Cheers!


	2. Family Connections

Chapter 2

The enormous and beautiful manor glistened in the morning sunlight. In a large room on the second floor, an eleven-year-old boy was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world, but his peace wasn't about to last for long. The door of the room opened quietly and an identical looking boy slowly crept forward towards his brother. Once he was close enough, he leaned forward towards the boy's ear and shouted –

"WAKE UP HARRY, IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY TODAY!"

The boy known as Harry woke up with a scream and fell down from the bed, making his brother laugh himself sick. The boy on the ground blinked owlishly for a few seconds and glared at his younger brother.

"Why do you always have to do that?" snarled Harry.

"Because it's fun?" replied Alex with an innocent smile on his face.

"Well then, you're not getting your birthday present from me today" said Harry.

"If you don't give it, I'll take it from you" declared Alex.

"Just try it!" said Harry, pushing his brother to the ground as they wrestled on the floor, occasionally throwing punches at each other. Suddenly, the bedroom door opened again and a red haired woman walked in.

"What's going on in here?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.

"Nothing" replied the twins at the same time, though it was clearly far from the truth considering that Alex was clearly in the process of throwing a punch at his brother while sitting on him, therefore ensuring that Harry couldn't move.

"Guys, how many times have I told you not to fight early in the morning?" asked a tired Lily Potter. She had quite frankly grown tired of playing referee with the two boys.

"Two thousand six hundred and eight," said Harry brightly.

"But it never gets old," said Alex grinning.

Lily shook her head in amusement at their antics. "Come here you two," she said smiling raising her arms as the two eleven-year-old boys rushed into the arms of their mother.

"Harry birthday, boys" she whispered, kissing their forehead.

"Thanks, Mum" they chorused.

Lily looked at them both and smiled. They had grown into adorable young boys. Their silky black hair was messy since they had just got up from bed. They had thankfully not inherited the bad eyesight from their father (though James had finally been able to get it fixed about five years ago, so he didn't need to wear muggle spectacles anymore) and their green eyes were filled with innocence and amusement. They were clearly very good looking for their age and were quite tall. She mentally chuckled, wondering how she and James were going to deal with them once they started dating.

The past ten years had flown by quickly. After the attack on the night of the 31st of October, 1981, James and Sirius had discreetly released into the masses the news that Voldemort had been defeated at the hands of the Potter twins. Needless to say, they had become instant celebrities. James and Lily had been adamant not to contact Albus Dumbledore for anything and avoided him at all costs. It's not like the man had an ulterior motive, but the Potters had lost most of their trust in their old mentor. He had sent Hagrid to collect the boys to send them to Petunia Dursley of all people! He had suspected that the Potters were under attack and didn't bother to help them. He had then painted a target on Sirius Black, informing others that he was the Secret Keeper. Barty Crouch had, in fact, tried to arrest Sirius for being a Death Eater and throw him directly in Azkaban until James stepped in and brought the man down a peg or two. He and Sirius had also immediately resigned from the Auror Corps, not wanting anything to do with Crouch anymore. Lily didn't understand Dumbledore's motivation. She knew that he was a good man, but his actions said something else.

Another thing that had happened a week after their attack was the attack on the Longbottoms by the Lestranges and Crouch Jr. Since Lily had informed Alice about the attack by Voldemort, the Longbottoms had thought that the risk had decreased. But even though the wards around their Manor were fully charged, Voldemort had employed the best of the best to break them down over a long period of time to avoid detection, so the attackers were able to slip in. When the Longbottoms realised what had happened, Frank had been able to send a brief message for help. But by the time help arrived, some of the damage had been done, though it would have been horribly worse had no one arrived on time. Lily, Alice and Amelia fought against Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr with all they had while James, Frank and Sirius fought against the Lestrange brothers. In the end, after a lot of injuries, the four Death Eaters were killed.

Unfortunately, due to the horrible exposure to the Cruciatus Curse and other dark curses like the organ-liquefying curse, Alice and Frank had to quit their jobs as Aurors. They didn't have the ability to fight like they used to before, at least at the time. They had since recovered, but Alice had permanently lost her ability to bear more children while Frank had been in a coma for a month, though thankfully, he had recovered from the ordeal and had since taken up his family's seat on the Wizengamot like James.

Remus Lupin had been another sore point during the past ten years. When James and Sirius had cut off all contact with Dumbledore, Remus didn't seem to believe that the Headmaster and Chief Warlock would do anything to harm the boys and said that they should listen to Dumbledore and introduce Harry and Alex to him. Naturally, this upset James and Sirius, so while they were still good friends, the tension between the werewolf and the other two remained.

What else happened was that Sirius had finally gotten married to Amelia Bones. While Lily hadn't been very close to Amelia during their school years as the woman was a year older than them and was in Hufflepuff, she had grown to really like the new Mrs Black or Lady Black, as she was called for the past few months. Sirius' grandfather, Lord Arcturus Black had been ecstatic about his grandson's choice of bride and had passed on the Lordship to his grandson, making Sirius take on the mantle of Lord Black recently. The two of them had a daughter Cassiopeia Dorea Black who was born three years after Harry and Alex. Lily had been pregnant at the same time as well, and had given birth to twins again – Belladonna and Camellia Potter. Two years later, Amelia had given birth to Rigel Sirius Black.

Raising two pairs of twins had not been easy; not in the least. This was sibling rivalry to the max and Lily thought she had it bad with her sister. James and Lily had lost count of the number of times they had to stop them from fighting each other or play peacemaker. Thankfully, Harry and Alex didn't seem to get a big head over the Boys Who Lived title. Lily had ensured that they knew of the consequences that would have followed if something had gone wrong that night. To make sure they understood, she had disillusioned them and taken them to Privet Drive to watch the Dursleys. After seeing the 'perfect' family and how Petunia treated them when they announced their presence, the twin boys were more than happy to just have their parents alive instead of being orphans and living with that horse faced harpy (their father's words).

James had also ensured that the boys were well trained for their age. He didn't care if they got bored at school; he himself had studied ahead after all and so had Lily. But he wanted them to be able to defend themselves in case there was trouble. After all, much to their frustration, a majority of the Death Eaters had escaped, bribing people left, right and centre and pleading the Imperius Curse. Even Snape had been let go, as he was vouched by Dumbledore himself, making James lose respect for the old mage. Sometimes Lily thought it was too much, especially the way James would make the boys run around the large estate around Potter Manor, but she knew he was only doing so that they could be prepared. The other sore point had been Peter Pettigrew. The man had been missing for the past ten years and was a wanted criminal. James had declared the man a traitor of the Potter family, as the man had enjoyed the friendship of the family and had betrayed them. The family magic had accepted the claim and the ancient blood wards around Potter Manor were modified so that if Pettigrew were to every try to enter the grounds, he would be burnt to a crisp. They could do it only for him and not any stranger, as Pettigrew had been considered to be a brother in all but blood by James and the man had willingly betrayed the Potter family.

Even though the Potter family never ventured out in public without heavy disguises, Harry and Alex did have some friends. Neville was practically a brother to them considering the amount of time they spent with each other and of course, there were Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass. Ever since James had been unhappy with Dumbledore's behaviour, he had dropped his support for the Leader of the Light and had instead, moved over to the Potters' traditional grey faction, where the Greengrasses were a prominent figure. Needless to say, over the years, the Potters had befriended the Greengrasses and Daphne and her sister Astoria were good friends with the four kids.

Lily was snapped out of her musing when she heard someone screeching "MUM!"

The door of Harry's room banged open and an eight-year-old girl ran into the room. She had dark red hair and bright emerald eyes. All of the four Potter children had inherited Lily's green eyes, something which made James extremely happy. While all the four kids had inherited the looks and features from both parents, the boys had more features of their mother while the girls had slightly taken after their father; though all of them had inherited James' pranking ability.

"Mum, Bella stole my Weird Sisters music crystal!" said the eight-year-old Camellia.

"I did not!" said Belladonna indignantly, coming into the room. "I just borrowed it!"

"Why is my room suddenly a place for everyone to banter this morning?" asked Harry sarcastically.

"Your room has this weird aura to it," said Alex smirking. "It makes people want to fight."

"You want a fight, Alex?" asked Harry, smirking back. "Bring it on, little brother!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not? You are the younger one."

"By less than a minute! It's not my fault you blocked the path and decided to go first!"

"That's sixty seconds too late, _little_ brother."

"Enough," said James, entering the room. He smiled and went over to hug his sons. "Happy birthday, boys"

"Thanks, dad" they chorused again. After the girls wished them a happy birthday, they went down to the dining room where they had a hearty breakfast prepared by the House Elves who were more than happy to prepare Harry and Alex's favourite food.

"Looks like there is something special for you guys," said James smiling mysteriously.

"What is it?" asked Harry with his eyebrows raised. His eyes went wide as Alex suddenly remembered too. They hastily made a dash to their rooms and much to their delight, they saw a letter waiting for them on their desks.

"It's here! It's finally here!" said Alex excitedly. Harry smiled at his brother's enthusiasm as he opened his Hogwarts letter.

"Can we go to Diagon Alley today?" asked Harry, looking at his parents.

"Well," said Lily, looking at her husband. "I suppose we could go today before it gets too crowded later on. But if we are planning on it, we should do it soon as it's going to take the entire day. Bella, Lia, do you want to come?"

"No, mum," said Bella, shaking her head. "Uncle Padfoot is taking us and Cassie to that concert today, remember?"

"Okay then," said James. "Go wash up, boys. We have a big day ahead as have an important meeting at Gringotts."

With barely concealed glee and enthusiasm, Harry and Alex headed to their rooms to take a bath and change. Once they were wearing their casual robes, they came down to the drawing room, waiting for their parents. Once they arrived, Lily spent a couple of minutes putting a complex glamour charm on all four of them. Once they were ready, they stepped into the fireplace and said, "Diagon Alley"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Once they stepped into the Alley, they decided to finish the majority of their shopping as their appointment with their account manager was after lunch. They went to Madam Malkin's and got themselves expensive and good quality uniforms. Of course, Lily couldn't help but try to make James buy more clothes, so when she had dragged her husband aside, Harry and Alex were talking to Madam Malkin while checking out the new designer clothes.

"Hmm, I like these," said Harry, as he saw a deep red and black pair of dress robes.

"Good choice" muttered Alex as he went to examine it.

"That is very expensive, Mr Evans," said Madam Malkin. "It is made of Acromantula silk."

Harry looked at Alex with raised eyebrows as his younger brother shrugged. "I think we'll wait for our parents to come, though I'm not sure they will mind."

"Evans, huh?" said a pale boy while slick white blonde hair. "That's not a family I recognise. You must be a _muggleborn_. You don't belong here. I bet you cannot afford anything in the shop let along those dress robes" he sneered.

Harry and Alex simply stared at the boy with raised eyebrows. They knew who he was of course as they had heard Neville mention him several times about how arrogant the boy was when they had met in several parties over the years. Even though their parents attended several parties and Ministry functions along with Belladonna and Camellia, they still hadn't shown their faces in public, wanting to do so only when they started Hogwarts. This was nothing peculiar as the Potter family was notorious for its secrecy and this phenomenon wasn't unheard of, though it didn't stop certain people from trying to meet them like the new Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge or Albus Dumbledore.

Harry slowly smirked as he met his brother's eyes. Their disguises were different so they couldn't pose as twins, but that didn't mean they couldn't have some fun with the idiot.

"I'll take two of these Actromantula silk dress robes, Madam," said Harry smoothly, taking out a charmed wallet filled with galleons. "One each for my brother and me."

Madam Malkin was filled with joy as she fitted the robes for her two customers while Draco Malfoy was standing there in shock as the boys smirked back at him.

"I would observe people before judging them, you know," said Alex with a fake smile. "You might find it hard to make friends at school with an attitude like that, Mr Malfoy. Very un-Slytherin of you"

"That's Heir Malfoy to you!" said Draco angrily. "And what would you know, _mudblood_?"

Madam Malkin gasped, though the twins didn't say react, choosing to instead smirk at the blonde.

"Aww, did we hurt little Dragon's feelings?" asked Alex with a mocking voice.

"Oh, he's not a dragon; more like a ferret," said Harry with a smirk.

"Just who do you think you are?" asked Draco, his eyes bulging in shock. "Do you know who I am?"

"A poncy git?" suggested Harry.

"A buffoon?" said Alex.

"I was going to say mama's boy"

"Ah, from what I've heard he's daddy's boy"

Before Draco could say anything more, James and Lily arrived with their purchases. "Boys, are you done?"

"Yes, mum," said Alex. "But _James_ wanted these dress robes and I like them too. Is it okay if we buy them?"

James and Lily looked at it and after thinking for a few seconds, nodded in approval. "Of course, _Charlie_ "

Completely ignoring a spluttering Draco Malfoy, they paid for their purchases and left the shop. Once they shrank all their purchases, they went over to Flourish and Blotts and bought the necessary books. Harry frowned and rolled his eyes at the Boys Who Lived merchandise. The books and toys were made for the pure enjoyment of the public and a considerable amount was deposited into their trust vaults from the sales. His parents had tried to fight it, but Cyrus Greengrass had managed to convince them otherwise. As much as it was annoying, it was a golden opportunity for politics. Besides, they didn't have a legitimate reason to be offended anyway. They never used the names Hadrian or Alexander in the books; just the shortened version and it was clearly mentioned that it was fiction.

Once they bought the other things required like a magical telescope, several rolls of parchment, high-quality quills and other necessary items, they headed for the apothecary, where Lily, being a Potions Mistress herself was able to buy the best of the ingredients and cauldrons necessary. Once done, they headed to get a pet.

Harry was searching for something different when he saw a beautiful snowy owl. He smiled as he picked her up, while Alex chose a Crup who was still a puppy. The crup barked and licked Alex and Harry's fingers as they laughed while the owl hooted in a reassuring manner to both of them. Being siblings, they did have to share stuff even if their parents bought them separate things. So it was _their_ owl and _their_ dog.

Once they called an elf to take back all their purchases to the Manor, they went to the Grand Elixir Restaurant and had a birthday lunch. This was why Lily had wanted the girls to come along too, but she knew that they would not want to be denied the experience of shopping for their first year by taking away the thrill now. Once done, they headed to Gringotts. As they entered, James bowed to the teller and handed him a slip of parchment.

The goblin looked at the parchment carefully and said, "Very well. Griphook! Take them to Bloodfang's office."

With that, the party of four went to the office of the Potter family account manager. When they entered, they all bowed in respect to the goblin who bowed back.

"Greetings, Master Bloodfang," said James in a dignified voice.

"Greetings, Lord and Lady Potter," said the goblin. "How may I help you today?"

"Today is the eleventh birthday of my sons and I wanted to make the Heirship official today," said James. "I had informed you about this before."

Bloodfang nodded and took out a sheet of parchment. He looked through it and said, "Everything seems to be in order, Lord Potter. Once you sign it and give the ring to your son, it would become official. I have taken the liberty of keeping the Heir ring here after you removed it from your family vault during your last visit."

"Thank you," said James as he went through the official form. Once he was satisfied, he turned to his eldest son. "Harry, I want you to understand the seriousness of this responsibility," he said sternly. "This isn't a laughing matter. Once you place the ring on your finger, you are responsible for your family, which includes your brother and sisters. I want you to promise me that you will behave responsibly and take care of the family when the time arises."

"I promise, father," said Harry trying to hide his nervousness. As much as he didn't like it, there was no denying the fact that it was the eldest son that got to become the Heir Apparent of the family and future Lord. Only in rare cases did the elder son get passed over for the younger one and in this case, Harry was scared that this might ruin his relationship with his brother. This was a big step and Alex was very dear to him and they were very close even if they bickered a lot, so he was very confused and scared.

Just as he swallowed his nervousness, he felt a gentle squeeze of his hand. Harry turned and saw the smiling face of his twin, who nodded to his brother, telling him to go ahead. With a smile in return, Harry put on the Heir ring on his right ring finger. The ring flashed and resized to fit his finger. It was a thin band made of platinum, with a small red diamond ring with the Potter crest on it.

"Congratulations, Heir Potter," said Bloodfang. "Please drop five drops of blood on this parchment. It scans the family magic present in your blood. It is just to confirm that the family magic has indeed accepted you."

Taking a deep breath, Harry cut his palm and let the drops of blood fall on the parchment. Once done, Lily healed his cut with a gentle wave of her hand. The goblin looked at the writing on the parchment and frowned.

"This is most peculiar," he said, frowning, as he spoke to his assistant who was sitting next to him.

"Is something wrong, Master Bloodfang?" asked Lily nervously.

"Not really sure," said Bloodfang. "Hadrian Potter has been accepted by the Potter family magic as the Heir Apparent, but there seems to be another active family magic present in his blood."

"Another?" asked James in surprise. "I'm guessing this isn't the dormant Gryffindor or Peverell family magic?"

"No, this is different. The Gryffindor and Peverell magic were combined with the Potter family magic when the lines were merged, but this is active" said Bloodfang, frowning. "Lady Potter, are you sure that you are a muggleborn? Have you had any indication to see if you were adopted?"

"Adopted?" asked Lily in surprise. "No, my parents had never said anything, but I'm afraid it is too late to find out as they are dead."

"Hmm," said the goblin. "If you are agreeable, I would like to perform a full blood ancestry test. We can only verify from the blood of the families we have as our clients and thanks to the increased security measures, we can trace your roots back up to three hundred years. It will reveal if you are indeed a muggleborn of if you are adopted with magical parents with family magic."

Lily looked at James who nodded as he himself was curious. Harry and Alex had confused expressions on their faces. Bloodfang barked instructions to his assistant who brought a shimmering parchment to him.

"I must tell you that this test is expensive," he said. "Do you still want to go through with it?"

"Yes please," said Lily. She didn't say that at this point, she was curious too. She let several drops of blood fall on the parchment until the entire glowing parchment was covered in blood. The goblin dropped the parchment into a shimmering basin which looked similar to a Pensieve and started muttering in a strange language. After several minutes, the parchment glowed and floated out with writing written on it.

"Looks like I was right," said the goblin. "Look for yourself, Lady Potter."

Lily took the parchment with brimming curiosity and her eyes went wide when she saw it.

"Ashwood?" she whispered as Harry and Alex looked at it too. It gave Lily's name along with the names of her grandparents. Unfortunately, they didn't know the name of her parents as they weren't registered at Gringotts.

"I remember reading about them when I was a child," said James with a frown. "They were supposed to have become extinct in the 1900s if I'm not mistaken after all the members of their family were murdered by the Gaunts. They are a Most Ancient and Noble House as well, said to have been descendant from Salazar Slytherin."

"Exactly," said Bloodfang. "The Ministry records state that Marvolo Gaunt Sr murdered all the members of the Ashwood family. The Ashwoods were a prominent family while the Gaunts were not. In fact, the Gaunts always claimed that _they_ were the descendants of Salazar Slytherin, while the Ashwoods actually had proof of their claim of being related to Slytherin. The two families had always been bitter enemies, though the Ashwoods never considered the Gaunts worthy of being called their enemies, from what I am told. But in 1918, Marvolo Gaunt Sr was sentenced to the Dementor's kiss for the murder of all the members of the Ashwood family. The family has since been considered extinct, though it looks like a few of the members survived and fled underground."

"You were probably orphaned at an early age" continued James. "Something must have happened to your parents. Maybe your adoptive parents found you in an orphanage."

"I cannot believe this" whispered Lily. "All my life I have been ridiculed for being a muggleborn; I have consciously tried to mend my relationship with Petunia over the years and you tell me now that I am a pureblood? And that Petunia isn't my blood sister?"

Harry and Alex were in shock as they stared at each other. Their mother's life had just been turned upside down and they didn't know what to do.

"Since the term of hundred years isn't over, the vaults are still present and haven't been turned over to the Ministry in the case of extinct families. You'll find that the wealth inside to be considerable" said Bloodfang. "The family rings should be inside as well as the magic of the rings will ensure that they are recalled after the death of the Lord or Lady."

"Thank you for your time, Master Bloodfang," said James. "We would like to see the Ashwood family vault."

Bloodfang nodded and the still shocked Potter family went to the cart and got in. They started moving and went deep underground. Harry knew from past experience that the Potter family vault too was deep inside the bank. Finally, they stopped and Griphook said, "Vault 127, Ashwood family vault"

They got down and everyone saw the crest on the great stone door. Two stone Ashwinders were facing each other with a large 'A' in the middle.

"These are very high-security vaults, similar to the Potter family vault," said Griphook. "A blood ward is in place, but Lord Augustus Ashwood had added some other ah, unique protections as well."

Just as Lily approached the door, the Ashwinders came to life. " _Who sshall want to gain entry into the Asshhwood vault?"_ hissed the snake.

Lily hissed back, much to the shock of the goblin. " _I am Lady Lily Potter, the last of the Assshwood line. Thessseee are my sonsss."_

Harry and Alex bowed. " _I am Alexander Charluss Potter"_ he hissed.

" _I am Hadrian Jamess Potter"_ hissed Harry.

Once Griphook disabled the Goblin wards, Lily pressed her hand to the stone, which sucked blood. Once she passed the blood ward, the door opened with a hiss, revealing a mountain of treasures and gold and books.

"He wasn't kidding when he said the Ashwoods were wealthy. Not as much as the Potters, but with careful planning and investments, it can be brought up to speed" said James.

Lily went inside and removed several books. She saw a pedestal which had a ring on it. She took the Heads' rings as well as the Heir ring and come out. Once again, they were seated in front of Bloodfang.

"Put it on, Lady Potter," said Bloodfang as he prepared the necessary documents which were supposed to be sent to the Ministry of Magic.

Lily took a deep breath and put on the ring. It was a platinum band with a blue diamond with the crest on it. It flashed and fit her finger as information flashed into her mind. She was now the Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ashwood.

"Your turn, James," she said softly. While she was the Head of the family, James too was now the Lord, just like she was the Lady of House Potter. James took the ring and wore it. It took several seconds, but finally, it resized and fit him.

"Alexander, the speech is the same for you," said James. "I hope you realise the magnitude of this. You will be responsible for your family in the future when you become Lord Ashwood. Do you understand?"

"Yes, father," he said, but Alex was bouncing with excitement. He didn't hold it against Harry for being Heir Potter; it was something he knew would happen. But that didn't mean that he wouldn't love having a Lordship of his own! He took the Heir ring and placed it on the right ring finger. With a flash, it fit him. Alex couldn't stop smiling and his smile widened when he saw the beaming face of his twin brother. At least they knew now that they were on an equal footing as always.

After thanking the goblin, they left the bank and headed to Ollivander's as they still had a wand to buy. When they entered, Mr Ollivander appeared suddenly from the other side, making the kids jump.

"Ah, I knew I would see you someday, Mr and Mr Potter," he said smiling at them. "James Potter, eleven inches, mahogany and dragon heartstring; excellent for Transfiguration, isn't it?"

"Yes, Mr Ollivander," said James with a small smile.

"Lily Potter, ten and quarter inches, willow and phoenix feather; excellent for charms."

When she nodded, Mr Ollivander turned his attention to the boys. Since the glamour charms were removed when they entered the shop, the scars on their foreheads were quite clear, even though they usually covered them with their bangs. Harry's scar was a red coloured lightning bolt on the forehead, while Alex's scar was more of a V shaped scar and much lighter in colour. James and Lily had taken them both to Elizabeth Greengrass, a Healer herself because they didn't want to take them to St Mungo's. Elizabeth had detected an unusual amount of dark magic concentration around Harry's scar, while Alex's was a regular magical scar, possibly caused due to the magical backlash or falling debris or what was most probably true, a combination of both. Lily, who was secretly (at least, to the public) an Unspeakable at the Department of Mysteries, had been researching about what had caused the magical backlash and how they survived along with what was present in his scar along with Alice Longbottom who had applied for a job there as well. Harry used to have trouble sleeping when he was a child and the scar would bleed occasionally and throb or burn horribly, but it wouldn't trouble him as long as he had his parents or twin brother nearby. Even now, after all these years, whenever Harry would feel uncomfortable due to his scar, he would go to his parents or brother and sleep next to them for the night. It would greatly alleviate any pain or discomfort or negative emotion it caused.

"And there" he whispered, looking at the scar on Harry's forehead and the same on Alex's as well. "Is where he cursed you if I'm not mistaken. I'm sorry to say I sold that wand. Yew and Phoenix feather, thirteen and a half inches."

After that, Ollivander measured Harry and Alex and started handing out wands to each of them simultaneously. The wand pile grew larger and larger, but Ollivander seemed to get happier with each passing wand. James and Lily were now worried; their wand hadn't taken this long.

"An unusual combination, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches," said Ollivander, giving it to Alex. The boy took it but when he waved it, a glass bowl in the corner shattered.

"No, no, definitely not," said Ollivander, shaking his head. "Why don't you give it a try, Mr Potter?" he asked Harry.

Harry took the wand. He definitely felt a connection to it, but it didn't feel right. Something was wrong with it, he was sure of it. A few sparks emerged from the tip, but he returned it.

"I don't feel comfortable with it, Mr Ollivander," said Harry, fidgeting. "I feel like something is wrong with it. It makes me uncomfortable."

Ollivander looked at him in surprise but didn't say anything. "I have a few exotic wands which I want you to try," he said, emerging from the back of the shop. "These wands were crafted by my ancestor Geraint Ollivander a few hundred years ago, but I rarely find good matches for them as the materials are hard to come by and the wands are more ah, quirky and temperamental, if I may. But my family has sold them on rare occasions. Why, the last one to purchase such a wand in your family was your great-great grandfather, William Potter. But let's see if these wands choose you. Here you go."

Alex took a wand and suddenly he felt a huge magical connection with it. He swished it, and blue and green sparks came out of the wand as they all cheered for him.

"Oh, bravo!" said Ollivander. "Though, how curious. That wand, Mr Potter, is fourteen inches, Willow and contains a heartstring of a Ukrainian Ironbelly with thin strips of basilisk fang on it. Such a wand is not available these days at all, as parts of a basilisk are extremely rare to the point of being non-existent. They can be found in old wands which are passed down through the families and such but are still rare. This wand, while good for duelling, would excel better in the field of Healing, Potion-making and Alchemy, if I may say so. You will do great things in life, Mr Potter, great things indeed."

It was now Harry's turn and he grasped a similar looking wand and immediately felt a connection. He closed his eyes and he felt the wand connect with his core. He waved it and red and silver sparks came out of the end.

"Extraordinary, Mr Potter," said Ollivander happily. "This wand isn't any less rare. It is made of Aspen and is fourteen inches in length. It is an outstanding duelling wand. The core is a thunderbird tail feather and it has thin strips of Nundu fang on it. Again, while wand makers used to experiment before, the materials are very rare today so that it isn't possible, especially considering there are essentially no Nundu parts in the market. That's why the wands today are simpler in nature; that and because of the mass production of wands, it is quite wasteful to use two cores in one wand. You'll find such cores only in old wands. Take care of them well."

After paying for the wands and buying the best wand holsters, the silent family of four flooed home, each lost in their thoughts.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry sat on his swirl chair at his expansive desk in his room, twirling his wand in his fingers. It had been quite a day. The door of his room opened and his brother came in and took a seat on the desk, facing his brother.

"Let's see it," said Alex. Harry showed his wand to his brother while Alex compared it with his. Both were light in colour, had the same length and had three strips of fang that ran from the end of the handle to the tip of the wand. The wands certainly had a regal look to them.

"Not something we expected, huh?" asked Harry dryly. "First the new Lordship and now the wands."

"Yeah," said Alex. "But I'm not complaining. Besides, the wands might be rare, but that doesn't make them super-wands. But I found it funny when Ollivander described what the wands were most useful for. It's like he _knew_ . . . the same when he described mum and dad's wands too."

"True," said Harry, nodding in agreement; wands were magical foci. While the power of wands differed due to the personality of the owner and the materials used, even the most powerful wands would be useless if the opponent was highly skilled. He chuckled when he remembered Ollivander's description of the wands; potions and duelling . . . how apt.

"I wonder if mum and dad are going to announce the Ashwood Lordship soon," said Alex, staring at the red and silver wallpaper of Harry's bedroom.

"They will have to go to the Ministry to claim it," said Harry with a shrug. "So it will be announced very soon anyway. I wonder if this will cause quite a storm."

Alex chuckled. Just then, a House Elf popped in and said, "Master Hadrian, Master Alexander, your parents be calling you to the family Ballroom."

"Thank you, Tippy," said Harry, as the boys went downstairs. Once they entered the room, they were greeted by people yelling "SURPRISE!"

Harry and Alex grinned brightly as they saw their friends and family gathered there to celebrate their birthday. They could see their parents, Belladonna, Camellia, Sirius, Amelia, Cassiopeia, Rigel, Frank Longbottom, his wife Alice, Neville, Cyrus and Elizabeth Greengrass and their daughters Daphne and Astoria, along with Susan and her parents.

Once they all wished them a happy birthday, the party began and people started celebrating.

"So, you finally met the infamous Draco Malfoy," said Daphne with a smirk.

"I told you he was an idiot," said Neville shaking his head.

"Hmm, I wonder how he would react if he knew that we were the ones in the shop" mused Harry.

"Oh, that would be hilarious" laughed Alex. "I can't wait for the train ride!"

Finally, it was time for presents. They had both got some necessary items and some cool books for their time at Hogwarts, but the best was from their father and Sirius.

"Now," said James. "Although Neville liked our present yesterday, I know the two of you wouldn't like the same thing, so we got you something more to your liking. This is from us men."

With that, they passed both boys wrapped presents. They eagerly unwrapped them to find brand new broomsticks.

"The new Nimbus Thousand," said Harry in awe.

"This is the fastest broom in the world at the moment" whispered Alex, running his hands on the handle.

"I know you can't take them to school yet, but there is a loophole," said Sirius with a wink. "If you do get on the team as first years, no one can bar you from playing on your own brooms. It's just that usually first years aren't good enough to get on the team when there are more experienced players there, but I'm sure you can manage."

"Now, this is from us," said Alice, as Elizabeth levitated two large boxes. "Now, I want you both to know that this is dangerous and that you are not to use them without adult supervision. These will last you for a decade at least, which is why we bought them for you. The eleventh birthday is very important, after all."

"Aww, you're getting us adult presents, Aunt Alice?" asked Alex innocently, but the adults coughed in embarrassment. Without waiting to respond to her godson's question, Alice flicked her wand and the wrapping paper disappeared.

"Is that the state of the art duelling dummy?" asked Harry in awe.

"That's the advanced potion making kit!" said Alex happily, looking at the various cauldrons and rare ingredients.

"I added some really nice plants too," said Neville with a smile. "You'll find them to be of better quality."

"Aww, thanks, Neville" said Alex.

"Remember boys," said Lily sternly. "While we may have got these for you, you still aren't trained for them. You are not to use them without us, is that clear?"

"Yes, mum" they chorused, clearly impressed with their gifts.

When the party was over, the boys went to their room, happy that they had a wonderful birthday.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Three days later, the news broke out. Thankfully, anticipating the reaction this would generate, James and Lily had used their influence to ensure that the facts were printed. It had been expensive, but it was worth it in the end.

 _LILY POTTER CONFIRMED TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF THE ASHWOOD FAMILY_

 _Yesterday evening, Wizengamot Administration Services released information that Lord James and Lady Lily Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter had been to the Ministry of Magic to claim the Lordship of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ashwood._

 _Speculation has been raised as to how this is possible, as Lily Potter is a known muggleborn. But inside sources tell us that on the 31_ _st_ _of July when Hadrian Potter was officially declared the Heir Apparent of the Potter family, the goblins discovered that there was another active family magic present in his blood. This caused an investigation that led to the discovery of Lily Potter's true magical family. It has been revealed that she is in fact, the last daughter of the Ashwood family and was adopted by her muggle parents. This shows that Lady Potter isn't a muggleborn like she and all of us believed, but is in fact, a pureblood daughter of an Ancient family._

 _The Ashwood family were prominent figures in the British magical world, as they were old and well respected. They had connections with several other families as well, the most famous being their irrefutable connection with the great Salazar Slytherin himself. Unfortunately, the Gaunt family, a highly unstable and inbred bunch who were ostracised by everyone in social circles for centuries and had claimed that only they were the only descendants of Slytherin, couldn't handle the fact that someone had taken the spotlight from them. This had let to Marvolo Gaunt Sr being sentenced to the Dementor's kiss in 1918 for killing all the members of the Ashwood family. The family has been since thought to have been extinct._

 _But it seems to be untrue, as more investigation into the matter has shown that Lily Potter's grandparents seem to have escaped along with their child and one other young extended member of the family. The two children seemed to have married later and Lily Potter nee Ashwood was born in 1955. It is unknown how Lady Potter's parents died, but sources say that they might have been the first casualties of You-Know-Who's reign of terror, as the Dark Lord had always claimed that he was the Heir of Slytherin. It is quite ironic that Lord James Potter, the son of the Potter family, who are the direct descendants of Godric Gryffindor himself is married to the daughter to the Ashwood family, who are the descendants of Salazar Slytherin._

 _The Boys Who Lived have been officially confirmed to be the Heirs of the families. Hadrian James Potter is the Heir Apparent of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter while Alexander Charlus Potter is the Heir Apparent of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ashwood._

 _How will this new addition affect the balance of power in the Wizengamot? For more, turn to Page 10_

 _The Boys Who Lived to finally come out in public on the 1_ _st_ _of September, Page 12_

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

On the first of September, Harry and Alex had packed their trunks and were ready. They were already dressed in their Hogwarts uniforms as they entered the dining hall for breakfast.

"Aww, you boys look so adorable" gushed Lily, hugging them.

"MUM!" said Harry and Alex, pushing their mother away.

Lily huffed. "Well, excuse me if my babies are looking cute."

"Okay," said Harry. "Since we are going to be in public, there are a few ground rules."

"First," said Alex. "No crying"

"And second, no calling us babies or worse, that new phrase you created recently where you call us your little men," said Harry, shaking his head in exasperation.

Lily looked slack jawed. "Why don't you just rip my heart out?" she said morosely.

Just as she sat on the chair, there was a loud farting sound as everyone laughed. Bella came forward and high-fived Alex and said, "That was a classic!"

Lily rolled her eyes as she disabled the charm on the chair. "I should know by now to scan everything I see" she muttered.

"Okay boys, enough pranking," said James, though his eyes were twinkling in amusement. "Remember to be careful with the cloak and map, understood?"

"Yes, dad," said Alex with a smile.

Lily also looked at them and said sternly, "And don't ever reveal that you are parselmouths; all four of you."

All the four kids nodded, knowing that it would be a disaster if the public found out about it, even if a few people suspected it after the article in the Daily Prophet announcing the Ashwood Lordship. "Harry, if you ever have a problem with your scar, you tell me immediately, is that clear?" she said.

"Yes, mum" he replied.

She extended her arms and both boys rushed into her arms, hugging her tightly as they hugged their father and sisters as well. With that, the family of six flooed to the platform and once they arrived they found everyone staring at them and immediately started whispering and pointing at the boys. It is very unnerving for the kids as they went over to the train. James levitated the trunks and helped them find a compartment. Once done, they headed back out.

"I don't like them staring," said Alex, fidgeting.

Lily sighed. "It can't be helped, Alex," she said. "They haven't seen you boys since that night, so it natural that they stare. Talk to everyone, but don't come off as a snob. Let them know that you are normal eleven-year-old kids, okay?"

"And be careful with new friends," said James with a frown. "Some might want to take advantage of you just for your celebrity status and others for political influence. Don't shy away from the attention; it won't work. Do your best to accept it and if it becomes too much, just give us a call and we'll be there immediately."

"It's fine," said Harry. "We have each other."

"Oh, and practice your Occlumency every night, especially you Harry," said Lily.

"Yes mum"

As tears glistened in her eyes, Lily pulled her boys into a tight hug as James did so as well. Bella and Camellia were crying softly. Once they bid them goodbye, the boys boarded the train. They were very glad that the media hadn't hounded them, although it looked like their parents weren't so lucky. They entered their compartment and soon, Neville, Daphne, Susan and her friend Hannah entered the compartment.

They were finally off to Hogwarts!

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** Yes, I know. Lily being adopted is so cliché that even I cringe, but it can't be helped. I really like Lily and I want her to be special and let's face it, it is so much cooler when she is a pureblood. And no, there is no separate Gryffindor or Slytherin Lordship.

I wonder; Snape said that Potions doesn't require 'silly wand waving'. But we see that even Potions require spells and such as it is mentioned in Book 6. Either way, the brothers have different interests, which is what I was trying to show. If you want to know more about their personality, read about Willow and Aspen wand wood. Special thanks to a. for suggesting them to me.

Cheers!


	3. Hogwarts and Pranks

Chapter 3

Since they hadn't met Hannah before, Harry and Alex introduced themselves to her, who was quite frankly in awe of meeting the Boys Who Lived. Once the initial shock was over, she became her natural bubbly self and started chatting with the rest. Several minutes later, the door was rudely opened and a boy with red hair and freckles looked at them and said, "Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

Alex had the urge to tell that since it was a magical train, there was no way it could be full, but a squeeze of his hand by his brother told him to hold his tongue. After all, their mother had specifically told them not to come off as snobs.

"Sure," said Harry calmly. "Take a seat."

The boy couldn't hide his glee as he sat down next to Alex. "I'm Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley."

Everyone nodded and introduced themselves. "Susan Bones"; "Hannah Abbott"; "Neville Longbottom"; "Daphne Greengrass"; "Alexander Potter"; "Hadrian Potter."

"Are you really?" asked Ron, ignoring everyone else, gawking at Harry and Alex. "Do you really have that, that -"

"That what?" asked Harry, though he knew what the boy was talking about. The reason their parents didn't want to take them to St Mungo's for any check-up was because one of the helpers had blabbed to the media about their scars. So it had spread like wildfire that the boys survived the killing curse with only scars on their foreheads and nothing more.

"Scar," he whispered dramatically, as though it was a big secret.

"Oh, yes," said Alex brightly. "My brother pushed me off my broom last week and I have a scar on my butt; do you want to see it?"

"Yeah!" said Ron, only to realise later what the boy had said, his ears turning red in embarrassment as people laughed. Harry smirked at his brother's antics.

"So, which House do you think you'll be sorted into?" asked Ron, trying to steer the conversation. He wanted to be best friends with the Potter twins, so he concentrated on talking to them, but unfortunately, one of them had gone to sit next to Greengrass and started talking to her about _Charms_ of all things.

Alex looked at his brother in amusement. He knew that Harry couldn't handle such conversations for too long and it was only a matter of time before he lost patience. He and Neville locked eyes and snickered, no doubt sharing an inside joke which Ron couldn't understand.

"I think I'll either be Gryffindor or Slytherin," said Alex, relaxing and stretching his legs in the process, adjusting his bangs which had fallen elegantly over his eyes. "My brother might be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw."

"Slytherin?" shouted Ron, looking scandalised. "B-but you're the Boys Who Lived! You can't go to the house of snakes!"

Daphne snorted and shook her head. "I think you should attend to your fanboy first," she whispered to Harry.

"Nah," muttered Harry. "Let my brother handle it. Besides, I have to handle something else to handle when the time comes."

"Which is what?" asked Daphne curiously, but her question was answered when the door was yanked open rudely by a boy who was flanked by two boys who looked like goons.

"I'm looking for the Potter twins," said Draco pompously. "Will that be you two?"

Harry smirked. "Oh, how nice to meet you again," he said in an amused voice. "I'm shocked that you don't recognise us, Draco."

Draco had a look of confusion on his face when Alex smirked back and said, "Oh, come on little dragon. Don't you recognise us? I mean, you called us mudbloods and said we couldn't afford clothes, _Heir_ Malfoy."

Draco went pale as he looked at the smirking faces of the twins. "That was you?" he whispered.

"Of course it was," said Harry with a smile. "Did you think we have been confined to our manor our whole lives? We have been to every carnival, music concert, shopping district and restaurant. Just because we go under heavy glamour doesn't mean we aren't there."

"How has life been, dear Draco?" asked Alex with fake concern. "I heard that you were betrothed to the Mr Crabbe and Mr Goyle. These two wouldn't be your future husbands, would they?"

"Really?" asked Neville in shock. "Why didn't you tell me, Alex? Congratulations, Draco!" he said, beaming at the boy. "I guess you can stop begging Daphne and Susan for betrothal contracts now."

"Over my dead body" muttered Daphne, making the others chuckle. Draco was too shocked to react, so Harry went over and patted the boy's cheek. "It was very nice to see you, Mr Malfoy. Please accept the greetings of the Heirs of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Ashwood. See you at school, _cousin_."

With that, he closed the door after firing a mild banishing charm on them. With a flick of his wand, he locked the door.

"Oh, that was brilliant," said Susan, wiping tears of happiness. "He has been annoying me for months now. It's nice to take him down a peg or two."

"That was brilliant, mate!" said Ron. "You both clearly belong in Gryffindor."

Harry and Alex shrugged and went back to doing what they were doing. The lunch trolley came by and they bought several sweets for themselves and hours later, the train pulled up at Hogsmeade station.

"First years follow me!" said a loud voice. Harry and Alex reinforced their Occlumency shields which they had learnt since they were little. It was something James and insisted they learn and it also helped Harry with his scar. Besides, it was expected for any Heir to be trained in the basics of the art.

They walked down the path with their friends, feeling nervous. People still hadn't started openly gawking at them because of the darkness. They sat on the boat and went to the castle. There, they found Professor McGonagall standing in front of them. Both Harry and Alex smiled at her; their parents had told them many stories about her and even though they hadn't been able to meet her, they knew that she had a soft spot for them both.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Minerva McGonagall looked at the first years as she gave them the usual speech. Mentally, she was sad that there were only forty students in this year's batch. You-Know-Who's reign of terror had decreased the number of students to one-quarter of the expected number and that was the least estimate. She looked at their bright, excited and nervous faces and smiled internally. She really loved doing this every year. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted two very adorable black haired and green eyed twins who were beaming at her. Even though she tried, she couldn't help but let a tiny smile grace her lips and by the grin the two were now sporting, she knew that the boys had thought they had won. Well, she would show them. If she could handle James Potter and Sirius Black, and later Fred and George Weasley, she could most definitely handle Harry and Alex Potter.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

After making McGonagall smile at them, Harry and Alex were more relaxed, trying to not pay attention to the stares all around them. Just then, Draco decided to show his move again.

"So it's true then" he announced, leaning on Goyle. "Hadrian and Alexander Potter have come to Hogwarts."

He went forward and pointed to his thugs behind him. "This is Crabbe and this is Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron Weasley snickered and Draco rounded on him. "You think my name is funny, do you?" he shot back. "You do mind if I asked yours? Red hair, hand me down robes; you must be a Weasley" he spat. "You'll soon find that _some_ wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

With that, he held out his hand. Harry knew that refusing to shake his hand was completely unacceptable in pureblood culture, even if he didn't like Malfoy. He looked at his brother and saw a small smirk on his face. So Harry smiled brightly and took the boy's hand and after shaking it, to everyone's shock, he kissed the boy's knuckles.

"Hadrian Potter, the Heir Potter," he said, smiling. "Oh, your hand is so incredibly soft; what is your secret, dear Draco?"

Malfoy went pink in the face as Alex was doing his best not to laugh. Oh, how he loved it when Harry was all sardonic and sarcastic like this. He couldn't wait to tell Padfoot. The old dog would surely find this hilarious!

Just as people snickered, Professor McGonagall reappeared and she too looked like she was fighting to maintain control of her smile. "They're ready for you now," she said. "Follow me."

When they entered the Great Hall, Harry was enthralled by the sheer amount of magic in the room; he could actually feel it. The lightning charms were in full brightness mode while several hundred candles were lit, just for authenticity. He was told that those candles were lit only on special days. As they walked by, they saw hundreds of students looking at them, but he doubted they could see them in the crowd. They stopped in front of the Sorting Hat, who sang its song. Alex rolled his eyes when he heard Weasley say something about fighting a troll. The sorting started soon. Susan and Hannah were sorted into Hufflepuff; Daphne was sorted into Slytherin; a bushy haired girl called Hermione Granger was sorted into Gryffindor; Neville too into Gryffindor; a pair of Indian twins were sorted into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw each and suddenly, Alex swallowed in fear. What if he and Harry weren't sorted into the same House? He didn't want to leave his brother alone. He really wanted both of them to be in the same House. He was fidgeting so much that he barely heard McGonagall call out –

"Potter, Alexander"

Alex felt his hand being gently squeezed and looked at the smiling face of his older brother. With a deep breath, he stepped forward, ignoring the whispers coming from the rest of the people in the hall. He sat on the stool and put the hat on. Harry, on the other hand, was looking with narrowed eyes at the Headmaster, who seemed to have leaned forward in anticipation. He and his brother had been warned about Professor Dumbledore. They would have to be careful.

"Hmm, difficult," said a voice in Alex's ear. "You are very loyal to your family, especially to your older brother, so Hufflepuff is a yes. You are smart, certainly, but I don't think Ravenclaw is for you. You certainly don't lack bravery, but I think Slytherin is the best match for you, don't you agree?"

"No, Hat, please don't," said Alex, shutting his eyes. "I don't have anything against Slytherin, but we already have a lot of attention shown towards us, and as much as I hate it, Slytherin won't help. I just want to be with my brother, please, I beg of you."

"Your loyalty towards your brother is very admirable, young Potter," said the Hat.  
"Better be – GRYFFINDOR!"

The table on the right exploded with cheers as Alex calmly removed the hat and sat next to Neville, ignoring the cheers as he calmed himself. McGonagall waited for the cheers to die down and said, "Potter, Hadrian"

Harry calmly went forward with a blank expression on his face which he learnt from his mother and sat on the stool. As the hat was placed on his head, he heard a voice.

"Oh, you are unique, aren't you, young Potter?" the hat whispered. "Such undying love and loyalty to your family is amazing. You and your brother surely are special. Hufflepuff would do, but I don't think you would be very comfortable there. Ravenclaw is perfect for you as you have a thirst for knowledge, and you are also quite cunning like your brother, so Slytherin is a go. But your biggest trait is no doubt your strength and courage and your natural ability as a leader. You and your brother need to work as a team, so you have to be together. GRYFFINDOR!"

The red and gold table exploded in cheers again as Harry took his seat next to his brother as Alex breathed a sigh of relief. No one observed Dumbledore's eyes twinkling more than usual or Snape's scowl which was more pronounced than normal. Once the sorting was done, Dumbledore stood up and said, "Let the feast begin!"

Alex happily filled his plate with fatty food, but to his despair, Harry slapped his hand away and filled the other half with vegetables.

"Oh, come on, Harry," whined Alex. "It's a feast. Aren't we supposed to eat unhealthy food?"

Harry smirked. "If you eat that, I won't stop you from eating dessert. If not, say goodbye to the Treacle tart." Their mother had told Harry to do everything in his power to ensure that Alex ate his vegetables every day.

"You wouldn't!" said Alex horrified.

"I think we both know that I would," said Harry as he smirked. Shaking his head in frustration, Alex looked towards the staff table. He could spot several teachers which his parents had described. There was Professor Dumbledore; McGonagall was there next to him; Sprout was the Herbology teacher; then was Flitwick, his mother's Charms mentor, followed by several other teachers for different subjects until his eyes landed on a hook-nosed man who was glaring at him.

"Look at Snape" muttered Alex.

Harry looked up and saw the hook-nosed man who he recognised as Snape, glaring at him. He frowned; it looks like his father was right. The man did carry a grudge. He and Alex knew about their history of course. Snape had been a git, being friends with the wannabe Death Eaters at school and had been a horrible bully to the other kids along with his friends, though no one could prove it. That's why James and Sirius had taken it upon themselves to even the score, not to mention the conflict had become personal after Snape had repeatedly insulted James' family. Lily had been friends with Snape since they were kids, but it had ended at the end of their fifth year. While Lily hoped Snape wouldn't treat her kids badly, James knew better. Just as Harry looked at the person next to Snape whose back was turned towards the students, there was a sharp pain in his scar.

Harry hissed in pain, clutching his scar, but the pain receded soon. Alex turned to look at him worriedly. "Harry, what happened?" he whispered.

"Scar," he muttered. Alex looked worried, so Harry continued and said, "It's nothing. I must have imagined it."

"I don't think so," said Alex flatly. "We're calling mum right after dinner and telling her about it."

"I don't think-"

"Didn't she expressly tell you to call her in case there was pain?" whispered Alex angrily.

Harry sighed. "Fine," he said, though he didn't want to worry his parents. He knew the lightning shaped scar wasn't an ordinary magical scar like the one of Alex's forehead. His mother had scanned him several times over the years, trying to decipher it so as to know what caused him pain.

Once dessert was over, Dumbledore stood up and said, "Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. I would like to tell the first years that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all students and the older students should remember that by now as well. The other announcement for this year is that the third-floor corridor, on the right-hand side, is out of bounds for all those who don't wish to die a most painful death. Thank you."

Harry and Alex looked at each other bemused. "Did he -"

"I think he did" finished Alex.

Just then, they were interrupted by another pair of twins, who introduced themselves as Fred and George Weasley and the four started talking about pranks. But it was not to last, as they were soon following another Weasley who led them to Gryffindor Tower. Once he pointed out the dorms to them, he left, leaving the first years to head to their dorms. Harry, Alex and Neville entered the dorm and were impressed by the large room. There were six four poster beds, along with a walk in cupboard for each, no doubt expanded, and a desk for each of them as well. Harry immediately grabbed the bed near the window at the corner, with Alex right next to him. Once they unpacked, they waited for the rest of them to go to sleep. After fifteen minutes, Alex got down from his bed and opened the curtains to Harry's bed and crawled in. Harry flicked his wand to his hand and put up the standard secrecy spells.

He then took out a mirror from his bag and said, "Lily Potter"

After a few seconds, the boys saw the smiling faces of their parents. "Hey boys," said James. "From the colours on the walls I'd say you were both sorted into Gryffindor."

"Damn" muttered Alex. "And here I thought I could convince him we were sorted into Slytherin."

James snorted. "With the four of you, it's something I have been conditioning myself for the past five years, so it wouldn't have surprised me," he said grimly.

"Mum, there was a slight problem at the feast," said Harry nervously.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Lily worriedly.

"My scar hurt for a few seconds" he answered, biting his lip.

Silence followed this declaration as Lily and James looked at each other worriedly. They still were nowhere close to finding out what exactly Harry's scar was, but the pain was something they didn't like.

"Thank you for telling us this, son," said James. "Your mother will see if she can do something about it."

"Alex, keep an eye on him for tonight," said Lily.

"Guys, it's fine," said Harry defensively as his face burned in embarrassment.

"Harry, we're not doing it to embarrass you," said Lily patiently. "There is a serious about of dark magic around your scar. I have secretly consulted several people who specialise in dark magic and I'm no closer to finding out what it is. Whenever your scar hurts, you get horrible nightmares and they don't affect you as long as you have one of us nearby. Your brother doesn't mind, so what's the problem?"

"We're family, Harry," said James patiently. "You have no reason to be embarrassed in front of us, especially not in front of your brother."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. He knew from past experience that they were right. They spoke for another five minutes and then deactivated the mirror. Harry turned to find his twin brother staring back at him with raised eyebrows.

"You have never been embarrassed to sleep in the same bed before," said Alex, his eyes narrowed. "What caused this sudden change?"

Harry fidgeted and pointed to the others in the dorm. Alex sighed; Harry was scared that others would find out that there was something wrong with his scar, which made him seek comfort on such nights from his brother so that it didn't trouble him with horrible nightmares.

"If that's your problem, then I don't mind going back to my bed," said Alex sarcastically. "Once you wake up screaming and sweating, we'll see what is more embarrassing."

Harry glared at his brother but sighed in resignation. "I'm sorry" he muttered.

Alex chuckled. "It's fine," he said. "I would have done the same thing in your place. Come on, I'm sleepy."

After casting some other charms to let them know if anyone got up before them and another alarm charm to wake them up in the morning, then Harry went to sleep, with Alex hugging him from the side, hoping that the nightmares would stop haunting his brother.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The next morning, Harry woke up refreshed, finding himself tangled in his brother's arms. He stretched and shook his brother awake. He was really grateful to his brother as, without a family member, the previous night would have been horrible. His nightmares were usually filled with cold laughter and green light and sounds of his parents and brother screaming for their lives. It was quite traumatic for a child. Once they both were awake, they put on a pair of magical running shoes and headed outside. Since it was six in the morning, curfew had been lifted. They stepped out of the castle into the cool morning breeze and ran around the lake. Their father had ensured that they were physically fit, so they had been exercising since the time they were seven. After an hour of running, the tired boys returned to the tower to take a shower. They sighed in relief as the hot water soothed their aching muscles. Once they were done, they wrapped a towel around their waist and entered the dorm to find the rest of them still sleeping. From past experience, they knew that Neville was not a morning person.

Alex grinned as he went over to Neville. He cast a silencing charm and bent close to his ear and shouted, "WAKE UP NEVILLE!"

Harry chuckled. This certainly was more fun when he was watching it rather than when he was the victim. He tapped the trunk and one of the three compartments opened, showing the several uniforms he had inside it. He picked out one of them and removed a pair of boxer briefs and leather boots. Once done, he removed the towel covering him and dressed while the rest of the boys woke up with a groan. Even before the others were done, he and Alex were ready and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.

When they entered, they saw Susan already there as well, talking to Daphne who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

"Good morning," said Harry as he sat next to Daphne with his brother sitting next to Susan. "How was last night?"

"Annoying," said Daphne as she took a bite of her eggs. "The drama queen Malfoy has been going on and on about how he's the most powerful in the House and how everyone should listen to him and what not. He also said that the two of you were blood traitors and that he would show you your place."

"That's nothing out of the ordinary," said Alex. Soon, they were joined by a sleepy Neville and Hannah as well.

"Good morning, Neville," said Susan brightly, making the boy growl at her as other others laughed. Neville hated getting up in the morning.

"They shouldn't have our classes so soon," said Neville as he yawned. "They should start at noon."

"I'm afraid we won't get rid of our timings just to accommodate you, Mr Longbottom," said a voice. They turned to find an amused Professor McGonagall standing behind them, handing out timetables.

"Here you go," she said, giving them the timetables. "Now, Mr and Mr Potter," she said sternly. "I know exactly what you two are capable of as I received a letter from your mother. Just remember that I handled your father and godfather so there is not a trick in the book that I don't know. Behave yourselves or you will be in trouble."

"Oh, come on Professor," said Alex, pouting cutely. "You can't honestly think we would do something like that, do you? We're innocent in everything!" he said, making his green eyes big and wide, showing his innocence.

Harry too beamed at her and said, "Besides Professor" he said, smiling with the same innocence as he brother. "We are the next generation. The old book won't be used anymore; we'll just create a new one!"

Minerva looked exasperated, but couldn't help but smile at them; they really were incredibly adorable.

"I'm told that you are the less troublesome twin," she said, looking at Harry, secretly hoping she was indeed talking to Harry as they both looked identical. "Do try to keep your brother in line, will you?"

"Oh, Professor," said Harry, shaking his head in amusement. "You can't believe everything you head from mum."

"Besides," said Alex

"We are-"

"-a team!"

"Our troublemaking-"

"-is done"

"together" they chorused, making the Gryffindors nearby groan along with Professor McGonagall.

"Great" she muttered moving away from them. "Now there are four of them. Merlin help us all."

They had already finished breakfast as a majority of them arrived. Just as Snape descended from the staff table, heading towards them, no doubt to tell Daphne to never socialise with others, Harry simply grabbed Daphne's hand and led her out as the rest followed, leaving Snape snarling in anger. Harry wasn't going to let that man interfere; Daphne was his best friend and no one could say anything about that.

"He's not going to stop, you know," said Daphne, not at all bothered by their intertwined hands.

"I know," said Harry calmly. "But if he starts to trouble you, just say that he is interfering in the alliance of the Ancient families; that should shut him up. If even that doesn't filter through his brain, just remind him that he himself had a Gryffindor friend until the end of his fifth year. Besides, any harassment would be nullified with one letter to Neville's grandmother; she's the chairman of the Board of Governors."

"How did you and Alex not get sorted into Slytherin?" asked Daphne in amusement.

"Oh, I had to beg it not to" piped in Alex from behind them. "But had I chosen Slytherin, Harry definitely would have been sorted there too."

Harry nodded in agreement as they headed for class.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The first class was Herbology they had with the Hufflepuffs. Professor Sprout was a warm and kind lady and Neville was already shining in his first class. Harry and Alex knew that it was his favourite subject; in fact, the majority of his birthday gifts involved some plant cutting or the other. While Harry didn't enjoy this much, Alex was very interested as his first love was potions. Alex had spent a lot of time with their mother just observing her as Lily would prepare several different potions at the same time. It had given him the bright idea to create a potion when he was seven years old without any practice or supervision. Needless to say, Alex had been grounded for two weeks after the disaster.

Harry, on the other hand, preferred wanded subjects like Defence and Transfiguration. Both the brothers had inherited the love of Charms from their mother, but that's where their interests branched out. Harry wanted to be an International Duelling Champion while Alex wanted to win the International Potion-making Championship. Both boys were clearly very ambitious for their future.

After cleaning themselves off, they headed to Transfiguration for their class with the Ravenclaws. When Harry and Alex entered the class, they saw a tabby cat sitting on the desk. They smirked at each other and went towards the cat. The cat's eyes narrowed as they neared her and gave a squawk of surprise as Harry picked her up.

"Oh, aren't you an adorable little kitty," cooed Alex, petting the obviously irate cat.

"I think she wants a bath, little brother," said Harry brightly, making the cat meow in confusion.

"Too right, big brother; _Aguamenti_!" said Alex.

The cat screeched and dived out of the way as a jet of water flew from Alex's wand, drenching Harry in water, making the boy glare at his brother.

To everyone's shock, the cat morphed into Professor McGonagall who glared at the boys.

"Whose bright idea was to conjure water at me?" she hissed.

Harry and Alex's eyes went wide as they immediately pointed their hands at the other.

"It's his fault, Professor, I swear," said Alex.

"Uh uh, I'm the good twin, don't you remember Professor?" said Harry hopefully.

"This is your fault!" said Alex.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

" _Aguamenti!_ " said Harry as a jet of water flew from his wand and impacted his shocked brother, drenching him to the bone.

"Now see what you did!" said Alex angrily.

"You shouldn't have done it to me first!" said Harry.

"That was your idea, idiot!"

"ENOUGH!" said Professor McGonagall, as the entire class roared with laughter, except for a girl who looked at them disapprovingly.

"I can't believe this!" said Professor McGonagall. "I would think that eleven-year-old boys would have some sense of maturity to not act like five-year-old kids! On the first day! Five points from Gryffindor for disrupting class. Take a seat you two or I shall write to your mother."

Grumbling, the two boys took a seat next to each other, not speaking to the other. "And five points each for casting a charm taught in the sixth year" she added, making Harry and Alex look up in surprise.

With a smile, they dried themselves off with a flick of their wand as the class began. They looked at each other and smirked. The year certainly had started off well.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Did you see them?"

"They are so CUTE!"

"I know; I just want to hug the life out of them!"

"You should have seen them in McGonagall's class; one of the first years told me about it."

"Do you think they'll mind if I give them a kiss on the cheek?"

"They are the most adorable pair of twins I have ever seen!"

These were the reactions from the majority of the school over the next few days. Albus Dumbledore had still yet to call them to his office, and James and Lily were surprised by that. Charms was as good as their mother had told them. History of Magic was boring, but Harry and Alex had taken to reading it on their own instead of listening to Binns talk about Goblin rebellions; after all, there was a ton more to magical history than just the goblins. Astronomy was okay, but Defence was quite below par. In fact, Harry was sure that his scar hurt more in the presence of the Defence teacher, but he didn't say anything. That had resulted in horrible nightmares for the past two days with him waking up screaming and sweating until Alex had found out about it last night when checking up on him. Needless to say, Alex was very pissed off with his twin brother right now and hadn't spoken to him all morning.

When they finally entered the Potions class, Harry went to sit next to Daphne who smiled slightly at him while Alex sat next to Neville. People scowled as them as it was an unstated rule that Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't mingle together, but within the first few days, the Potter twins had broken all those unsaid rules by talking to people from all four Houses.

When Snape entered the room with a bang, his eyes narrowed as he saw the elder Potter again sitting next to the Greengrass Heiress. He knew that Lucius had his eyes on the Greengrass fortune in the future, so he decided to separate them immediately.

"Potter, get up; come sit in front of me. Mr Malfoy, please sit next to Miss Greengrass," he snapped.

Two pairs of green eyes and one pair of blue eyes narrowed as he said this. Harry shrugged and with a flick of his wand, his cauldron and other equipment were moved to the first bench while Draco manually shifted it, until Professor Snape decided to help him.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of Potion making. As there is little wand waving here many of you would find it hard to believe this is magic. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach" he said.

Alex raised his eyebrows. It looked like Padfoot was right; Snape was a drama queen. Potions was his favourite subject and it looked like he wasn't going to enjoy it as long as Snape was the teacher.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The class remained silent, except for a girl who was excitedly raising her hand, so Snape's lip curled. "It looks like our two resident dunderhead celebrities can't hear. Five points from Gryffindor."

"Forgive me, Professor," said Harry calmly. "But there are currently two Potters in this class. We didn't know which Potter you were addressing. How were we to answer your question?"

But Snape acted as though he didn't hear it and his lips curled.

Harry simply raised his eyebrows as he leaned back in his chair, with his arms folded across his chest, looking at the man expectantly. Snape looked at the other brat who had mirrored his brother's expression and position. The way they sat, the way they answered, everything reminded him of that bastard James Potter so he looked back at the elder brat and said, "Can you answer the question now, Potter?"

"They are two of five main ingredients in preparing the Draught of Living Death," said Harry calmly.

"Oh?" asked Snape with a smirk. "I dare say you know the other three?"

"Of course, Professor" answered Alex, knowing that his brother didn't know the answer. "The others are Valerian root, Sopophorous bean and sloth brain."

"I didn't ask you, Potter," said Snape testily. "Five points from Gryffindor."

"But you only said Potter, not specifying which one," said Alex with his eyebrows raised. "I was under the impression that the question was posed to either one of us."

"Really?" asked Snape dangerously, moving towards Alex. "In that case, Mr Alexander Potter, why don't you tell me where you would look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

"In my mother's potions cabinet," replied Alex calmly, ignoring the girl behind him standing up so that she could answer. "Or more specifically, the stomach of a goat."

At the mention of his mother, Snape's face became red, probably because this was the son _Lily_ had with _James Potter_.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked with gritted teeth.

"They are the same plant which is also known as Aconite" replied Alex. "Neville here can grow them very well."

"Which is the potion that requires Lacewing flies, powdered bicorn horn, shredded boomslang skin and Fluxweed?"

"Polyjuice potion" replied Alex promptly.

"Which potion uses powdered moonstone and syrup of hellebore?" asked Snape, his face turning red with anger.

"The Draught of Peace," said Alex with a slight smirk.

The smirk looked so much like James Potter's that Snape lost it. "Which potion uses Occamy eggshell and Ashwinder eggs?" he asked with gritted teeth.

Alex remained quiet. He knew this because he had been fascinated by it just a few months ago when his mother had mentioned the Felix Felicis, but he knew answering it would do no good. He and Harry might be Gryffindors, but that didn't mean they wouldn't have done well in Slytherin.

"I don't know sir," he replied. Even the girl behind him didn't know the answer. Snape looked down with triumph on his face as he said, "Clearly, fame isn't everything."

"If you say so," said Harry. "But clearly, a first year knowing so much about Potions would deserve fifty points from any sensible teacher."

Snape looked back and snarled at the brat. How dare he insult him?

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter, for your cheek," he said. "It looks like both of you have inherited your father's big head and stupidity just as I thought."

Two pairs of green eyes flashed as they heard that as many others in the room exchanged glances. Insulting a Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House like that in public without a viable reason wouldn't do Snape any good. But then again, this man was protected personally by Albus Dumbledore.

The class progressed with Snape assigning them a potion to cure boils. Having done it before, Harry calmly finished it alone, while Alex worked on the potion with Neville. Harry could see Daphne getting very agitated with Malfoy working with her. He would have to do something about that.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, Harry fidgeted and went over to his brother. He separated the curtains and crawled into bed with him.

"What are you doing here?" said Alex coldly.

"I'm sorry," said Harry softly.

"You should be," said a female voice, and Harry turned to look at the mirror which had the furious face of his mother on it.

"I can see from your bloodshot eyes that you haven't slept for the past two days, don't deny it," said Lily angrily. "Is your pride more important than your health? How many times have I told you that we are dealing with dark magic of unknown origin? The pain has increased and as has the frequency of the nightmares. You two get up before the rest, so what's your problem, Harry?"

Harry sighed and ran his hand through his silky black hair. "I'm sorry mum. I didn't want to trouble Alex anymore" he said sincerely.

"That's my problem," said Alex. "And you are more important to me. Can you stop acting like a prat already?"

"Fine," said Harry exasperated. "Goodnight, mum"

"Goodnight boys," said Lily. "Sweet dreams. Love you."

"Love you" they chorused as the mirror went blank.

"Act like an idiot again and all bets are off," said Alex angrily. "I'm trying to help you here, you know."

"Again, I'm sorry" whispered Harry as he crawled next to his twin, hugging him from the side as Alex hugged him back. After two nights of nightmares, he finally went to sleep peacefully.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**


	4. Quidditch and the Attack

Chapter 4

Daphne Greengrass was sitting in the Slytherin Common Room by the fire as she finished her homework. The place wasn't as bad as people thought. Draco Malfoy might act like a prince outside these walls, but he was nothing special inside. In fact, people in Slytherin actually respected the Potter twins because they were the descendants of Salazar Slytherin, even though they were in Gryffindor. Of course, there were those children of the suspected Death Eaters who glared at them of course, but that was expected. They never said it out loud of course, but Daphne had been taught by her grandmother to observe body language. Right now, the one who pissed her off the most was Draco Malfoy. Oh wait; there was Severus Snape as well.

She and Harry had been best friends since they were children. Yeah, sure, she was friends with Neville, Susan and Alex as well, but Harry was different. He was more reserved as compared to his brother and she could relate to that as Astoria was the outgoing one in her family as well. Sure, Harry was way more active with people than her, but he always struck her as a person who was always on the line between an introvert and extrovert, while his brother was a full-fledged extrovert. So when Snape had paired her with Malfoy today, she had been pissed. The poncy git kept muttering about how they would get married when they graduated and how she should be honoured to be even considered for the position.

Just when she was cooking up delicious schemes to get her revenge on Malfoy, Snape stepped into the common room. She watched with curiosity as Snape walked towards her so she asked, "Can I help you with something, Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Greengrass, you can," said Snape silkily, though she could detect underlying anger in his voice.

"You will cease all contact with the Potter brats immediately," he said, his face becoming red. "I won't have any Slytherin consorting with those brats. Those Potters are nothing but arrogant dunderheads who think they can get away with everything and own the world. You will also stop sitting with those Hufflepuffs and Longbottom for breakfast and lunch and you will cut off all contact with them. Have I made myself clear?"

Daphne's eyes went cold as she slowly stood up. She may only be eleven years old, but she had been extensively trained for such a situation by her father and as had any other Heir of Ancient Houses. Had Snape forgotten who he was talking to?

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Professor Snape," said Daphne, as the entire common room sucked in a breath at her bold behaviour. When Snape opened his mouth to interrupt, she held her hand up; her father would be so incredibly proud of her. "You are forgetting your position, Professor," she said coldly. "You may be my Head of House, but you are drastically overstepping your authority in telling me who I can and cannot be friends with. Let me clarify. I have been friends with the Potters for years. Harry has been my best friend since we were children. I have lost track of the number of times I have gone to Potter Manor during my childhood. You also seem to forget just who you are talking to."

"I am the Heiress of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass," said angrily, as Snape paled. "You are asking me to stop talking to the Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, the Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ashwood, the Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom and the Heiress of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones, all of whom are allies of House Greengrass. Your interference can be taken very seriously, Professor Snape and my father, Lord Cyrus Greengrass could demand compensation for your actions. I hope you know what that means."

Yup, she really needed to give her father a big hug and a box of his favourite chocolates for training her in doing this. The expression on Snape's face was priceless and so were the expressions on the faces of the other Slytherins. With a flick of her wand, she carried her bag and went to her room and shut the door and couldn't help but smile. She picked up the mirror and said, "Cyrus Greengrass"

Five minutes later, Elizabeth was wondering what was up with her husband as she came out of the bathroom, finding him laughing his arse off.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The weekend progressed without any problem, but there was a staff meeting after the first week. Albus was sitting in the room usually taken for such discussions, but was also used by the Board of Governors. Once all the teachers were present, he started from the NEWT students and once the other teachers were gone, only the senior staff remained.

"Now, let us talk about the first years," said Albus. "Are there are problems with the students?"

"I have one, Albus," said Professor Flitwick frowning. "And I'm afraid they are two Gryffindors."

Minerva sighed. She knew who he was talking about. "Let me guess; Mr Weasley and Miss Granger?"

Flitwick nodded. "Mr Weasley does not seem to have a working wand. I have written to his parents, but I haven't received a reply yet. He doesn't seem to have a brain to mouth filter and constantly insults Slytherins which could turn into a problem. He also seems to be obsessed with the Potter twins. Miss Granger on the other hand -"

"-is an insufferable know-it-all," finished Snape snarkily.

"Severus," said Albus with a hint of warning in his voice.

"As I was saying, she is gifted, but seems to reproduce what is given in the textbooks and seems to follow the rule book to the last word. While that is no doubt an admirable quality, her bossy attitude is doing little good in helping her integrate her with her peers."

"I'll talk to her when we have the usual muggleborn counselling session," said Minerva. "I don't want it to become a bigger issue later on."

"Good," said Albus, finally reaching the topic. "How are the Potter twins doing?"

There was much joy about that, but Snape snarled and said, "They think they own the world! Arrogant brats, just like their father. They have a big head and think they can get away with everything!"

Albus resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. _Why couldn't he just let it go?_

"I beg to differ," said Minerva coldly. "From what I have seen they are well behaved and very talented in magic. In fact, it is an absolute joy to teach Hadrian Potter; he clearly has inherited his father's talent in Transfiguration. Why, just yesterday we spent half an hour talking about elemental properties of Transfiguration, which to be quite honest, no first year should even know! And from what I hear, Alexander is a prodigy in potions. He answered every question you posed to him, did he not Severus?"

"He didn't," said Snape smoothly. "He didn't answer-"

"-the last question, I know," said Minerva coldly. "I found out later that he knew the answer was Felix Felicis but didn't see the need in answering the question. So he let it go. Any other potions master would have been delighted to have him in his class and yet you are complaining about it. I find it distasteful that you would ask first-year questions that older years wouldn't know."

Albus cleared his throat. Well, it looked like the Potter twins were talented in magic. He didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. But it was to be expected of course; James and Lily were talented and it would stand to reason that they would train their children well.

"Have there been any other problems with them?" he asked.

"Not really," said Pomona Sprout. "As Filius said, Ronald Weasley seems to be obsessed with them, though it looks like they are handling it well. They do have a rebellious streak like their father, but it isn't anything to be concerned about."

Snape snarled, but Dumbledore quickly called the meeting to an end. He sighed. Why couldn't Severus get over his petty grudge? He had worked hard in creating a fake Philosopher's stone so as to lay a trap for any gullible fool and it looked like Quirrell had taken the bait. He had to find out who the child of the prophecy was so that he could steer the boy in the right direction. But for now, he would wait.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The weekend went ahead without any problem and soon, they head their first flying lesson. And unfortunately, it was with the Slytherins. Alex wondered if Dumbledore was nuts in putting two rival Houses together for something as dangerous as Potions and Quidditch.

"I really don't like flying," said Neville with a sigh.

"Cheer up, Neville, it's not so bad," said Harry as they walked to the grounds. "At least you know how to fly."

When they reached the place, Harry and Alex looked at each other and frowned. Harry crouched and looked at the brooms.

"Why hasn't anyone changed these brooms?" asked Harry exasperated. "They're practically ancient!"

"That is something I wish I could help you with, Mr Potter," said Madam Hooch. "But unfortunately, the school doesn't have the necessary funds to change them and no one is willing to donate them to the school! Sometimes I wonder what the Board is doing."

Neville had a small smile. From his grandmother's rants, he knew that the Board was filled with corrupt morons. But thankfully, their term would be over at the end of the year a new Board would be appointed.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson," said Madam Hooch. "Stand by the side of your broomstick, stick out your hand and say up."

Half the brooms answered to the call, including Harry, Alex, Neville, Daphne and Malfoy. Once she taught them how to do so, she asked them to mount it. But before she could blow her whistle, Ron Weasley's broom started acting strangely.

"Help! I can't control it!" said Ron scared. Before she could do anything, Ron flew towards Madam Hooch, knocking her to the ground with his broom as he went rocketing around the grounds.

"HELP ME!" he screamed.

Harry looked at Madam Hooch who was lying unconscious on the ground. "Neville, Daphne, take her to the Hospital Wing and bring a teacher. Come on Alex."

"Where are you going?" asked Hermione Granger, but before she could say anything more, the Potter twins had already taken off into the air.

They shot off in different directions, and came towards Ron, hoping to catch him. Unfortunately, the spell work on the old broom was way too bad and it evaded them and started flying in a haphazard manner. Alex intercepted him several times, telling him to jump to his broom, but Ron didn't listen, though he was probably too scared to even let go of the broom. Alex displayed his impressive flying techniques as he intercepted him over and over again, but the broom dived sharply and Ron screamed.

With a burst of speed, Harry flew directly to the ground, not listening to the screams from the people present. Just before Ron hit the ground, he pulled him up with Alex immediately there to support him. With combined effort, they landed, just as Ron Weasley fainted to the ground.

"HADRIAN AND ALEXANDER POTTER!"

They turned and saw a furious and yet frightened looking Minerva McGonagall; her hands were shaking. She levitated Ron and said, "Boys, come with me."

Harry and Alex looked at each other and shrugged. They followed her, but their classmates were shocked to the bone at their display.

"Wow," said Theo Nott. "That was some flying."

"I'll say," said Tracy Davis.

"Not really surprising," said Neville as he shrugged.

"What do you mean?" asked Theo curiously.

"I've seen those two fly since were infants," said Neville. "Lord Black got us toy broomsticks and I remember on my fourth birthday they nearly gave Aunt Lily and my mum heart attacks by flying so recklessly."

"What happened to your toy broom?" asked Tracy with a small smile.

"He broke it," said Daphne casually. "Nearly killed me that day."

"I said I was sorry," said Neville grumpily.

"Yeah, right," said Pansy Parkinson sarcastically. "None of them can beat Draco on a broom. I bet he can fly circles around those two."

"I sure can," said Draco pompously. "They'll probably be expelled for this anyway."

"Expelled?" said Parvati Patil incredulously. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I agree," said Blaise Zabini looking at Draco like he was crazy. "Those two just saved Weasley from being killed, and you think they'll be expelled? Fat chance!"

"They'll probably be put on the Quidditch team," said Theo Nott.

"Or receive an award for special services to the school," said Neville.

"But first years can't bring their own brooms, it's against the rules!" piped Hermione Granger.

Before anyone could say anything to her, Neville interrupted and said, "They can if they manage to get on the Quidditch team. That's the loophole. But since a first year getting on the team is so rare. . ."

Only then did everyone realise that they were Gryffindors and Slytherins and that both were actually having a conversation without wands out. They all looked at each other in shock and silently walked back to the castle, wondering what had happened to their rivalry for those few minutes.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

After leaving Ron Weasley in the Hospital Wing, Professor McGonagall took them to the Defence classroom and came out with a burly fifth-year student. She took them to her office and said, "Wood, I have found you a chaser and seeker!"

Oliver's face brightened. "Really, Professor?" he asked excitedly.

Instead of answering, she pulled out a small Pensieve and deposited a memory. Oliver dived into it. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall said, "Fifty points to the two of you for risking your lives to save the life of a fellow student."

Harry and Alex blushed brightly, just as Oliver came out. "You guys were brilliant!" he explained. "Would you like to join?"

"Don't we have to take part in the trials for joining the team?" asked Harry confused. "We wanted to get on the team, but we thought we had to compete for it."

"Trust me, there is no talent in Gryffindor right now," said Minerva grimly. "Our star chaser Angelina Johnson transferred to Ilvermorny because her father was offered the position of British Ministry of Magic Ambassador to MACUSA. And we haven't had a good seeker since Charlie Weasley. So right now, both positions are vacant."

"Come on guys," said Oliver desperately. "You've obviously been trained by your father and we all know that he was one of the best chasers Gryffindor ever had. Please!"

Harry and Alex looked at each other and a grin slowly formed on their faces, mirroring the other.

"Sign us up," said Alex grinning.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The news of the Potter twins risking their lives to save Ron Weasley's because of a defunct broom spread like wildfire. It was so bad that it was only a matter of time before the press got wind of it, making the boys even more loved by the public than ever before. Indeed, even Albus Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling every time he saw the Potter twins. However, as much as he was happy about his sons being on the Quidditch team, Lord James Potter wasn't happy at all.

Three days after the near disaster, James Potter and Sirius Black entered the Great Hall with a furious looks on their faces.

"Oh great," muttered Harry. "The day dad is angry, all hell breaks loose."

"Where's mum when you need her?" moaned Alex.

"Lord Potter, Lord Black, this is an unexpected surprise," said Dumbledore happily, knowing exactly what his old students were up to.

"Indeed Headmaster," said Sirius testily. "We heard about the disaster with three eleven-year-old boys nearly getting killed because of defunct brooms."

"Not three," said Alex, but cringed when Sirius looked at him. "I can make it so now," said Lord Black, obviously angry.

"So, we decided to repair the problem since the Board of Governors isn't willing to do so," said James smoothly. "We spoke to Dowager Lady Longbottom and who has agreed to replace all the first year brooms with fifty Comet 260 brooms which we have bought for the school."

Thunderous applause filled the Great Hall as Dumbledore said, "Thank you for that, Lord Potter, Lord Black," he said, as James removed the shrunken case. "That is most generous of you. I'm sure our students are all very happy with your generous donation."

James nodded and turned to find his sons looking anywhere but at him. He went to them and said softly, "Boys, we need to talk."

Harry and Alex cringed as they got up from the table, following their father and godfather. Once they were alone and after spells were put up, James immediately hugged the both.

"I'm so glad you boys are okay," he said, kissing them on the forehead. "Do you have any idea how I felt when I watched that memory?"

"You saw that?" asked Harry nervously.

"Yes, I did," said James sternly. "And be very, very lucky that your mother isn't in the country at the moment, otherwise she would have hit the roof."

"Any luck?" asked Harry hopefully. Their mother had travelled to Egypt, hoping to discover what Harry's scar was.

"Not yet," said James softly. "But if she finds something, you two will be the first to know."

"Chaser and Seeker in the first year!" said Sirius happily. "I knew you little moppets would make it!"

Harry and Alex grinned at him. They couldn't wait for the first Quidditch match.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

On the 31st of October, the traditional Samhain feast was prepared in the Great Hall. The day had progressed smoothly. Of course, there was an incident in Charms where Seamus Finnegan and his partner Ron Weasley were tried to turn water into rum and accidently making the goblet explode, setting the table in front of them on fire. Harry and Alex were happily enjoying the feast. This was a day of celebration for all in Magical Britain as ten years ago, Voldemort had been vanquished, ended a terrible civil war that killed thousands. Just as dessert was being served, Professor Quirrell entered the Great Hall with a bang screaming, "TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS! Just thought you would like to know."

With that, he fainted on the floor. People started screaming, but Dumbledore soon managed to retain control.

"Everyone, calm down," he said sternly. "All the students will be accompanied by the Heads of House who will return them to their common rooms. The rest of the staff and I will accompany the Slytherins to the dungeons and after leaving your common room, we will look for the troll. No one is to leave their common rooms until we say so, is that clear?"

Everyone nodded and soon people started to exit the Great Hall in different directions. Harry and Alex followed Professor McGonagall as the rest of Gryffindor House followed behind. Just as they were on their way to the third flood, they heard a crash and a twelve-foot tall mountain troll made its way towards them.

People screamed as McGonagall pushed them back with a flick of her wand and with another flick, the Troll's club was transfigured into a feather.

"Let's help," said Alex urgently. Nodding in agreement, Harry and Alex pointed their wands at the Troll's head and shouted, " _Bombarda Maxima_!"

This was done at the precise time McGonagall conjured several sharp knives and flung them at the troll's chest. In a matter of seconds, the knives had impacted the troll's heart while its head was blasted off its body while the troll itself was knocked off its feet, landing on the other side of the corridor. McGonagall looked back in shock to find the Potter twins holding their wands aloft and panting.

"Was that you?" she asked incredulously, as they nodded, the others all too shocked to speak at seeing the troll.

With a sigh, she sent a Patronus to Dumbledore and led the rest of them to Gryffindor tower, but she called back Harry and Alex. She looked at him and sighed.

"That was a fifth-year curse," she said tiredly. "Good job, you two. Twenty points each to Gryffindor. As much as your actions save lives, you also tend to endanger yours. Try to be careful next time, won't you?"

With that, she walked out of the portrait hole as the rest of the Gryffindors applauded, making Harry and Alex blush heavily. Harry climbed into his bed and smiled. How crazy were they? They had helped defeat a mountain troll!

Smiling into his pillow, Alex went to bed too.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The next few weeks went by quickly as the Quidditch match neared. Harry and Alex had been sent their brooms by their father. Lily had still not returned, but from what their mother had told them the last time they spoke, she was nauseated by the Dark Magic she was learning, just to figure out what was going on. She had taken a leave of absence from the Department of Mysteries, but since her work was highly research oriented, they didn't mind. She would be travelling for the next several months as she had plans of going to Greece to learn about any ancient curses and then to India to learn parselmagic. Harry, Alex, Bella and Camellia were all excited at the prospect of learning how to cast magic in parseltongue. Harry was really touched that his mother was willing to do so much for him just to get rid of whatever dark magic was present in his scar.

Since they were all Quidditch fanatics, James, Sirius, Frank and Cyrus had all come to watch the game as well. Harry and Alex were in the locker room as they dressed in their scarlet and gold coloured Quidditch robes. They walked into the pitch amidst thunderous applause as Wood and Flint shook hands.

"Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season," said Lee Jordan, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. "Today we have Slytherin vs Gryffindor! The new players of this match are the very famous twin brothers – Hadrian and Alexander Potter!"

The game soon started with Slytherin taking control of the Quaffle. But unfortunately for them, Gryffindor had a secret weapon. Harry suddenly appeared out of nowhere after executing a feint and stole the Quaffle from Flint and throwing it to his brother who immediately scored.

"Outstanding!" yelled Lee. "Ten-zero to Gryffindor! Look at that everyone! Looks like Harry Potter is playing an interfering seeker. He stole the Quaffle and passed it to Alex Potter who scored! The Quaffle has been taken by Katie Bell; she avoids the bludger but ow! That's going to hurt. Flint has control of the Quaffle, he heads to the goalposts, but wait, yes, it is Hadrian Potter again; he steals the Quaffle and passes it to his brother and YES! Twenty-zero to Gryffindor! Look at that teamwork. Damn, I wish I had a twin."

"Jordan!"

"What? Just look at them, Professor! Aren't you even a little jealous? Look at Fred and George and their teamwork too!"

The points kept rising for Gryffindor, until they were 250-30, with the crowd roaring in approval.

"Oh, that was brilliant!" yelled Cyrus, standing up.

"You might want to calm down, Cyrus," said Sirius with a smirk. "You might embarrass your daughter."

"Oh, shut up Sirius, let him have fun. James isn't any better," said Frank, clearly amused.

"Oh, you don't understand," muttered Sirius. "Daughters don't like it when their fathers embarrass them in public. Cassie didn't talk to me for a week the last time and pranked me horribly."

"What's going on with Harry's broom?" asked James with worry.

The others had noticed too. Harry's broom seemed to have developed a mind of its own as it was shaking in every direction possible and moving upside down, trying to make Harry fall. When Alex, Fred and George tried to help, it would shake more violently, until finally, Harry was hanging off his broom with his hands, desperately trying to control his buckling broomstick.

"HARRY!" shouted James in worry, just as his son was on the verge of falling. People tried to help, but anytime the teachers tried to go near it or attempt a spell, the broom would shake even more. Harry desperately tried to control it, but just as James got up and made a dash to the exit, he knocked Snape out of the way who fell on Quirrell who accidently fell off the side, injuring himself. Once Quirrell's concentration was lifted, Harry was able to get his broom back under control as he re-mounted it and flew around the pitch, amidst cheers.

Alex sighed in relief. He had been shitting bricks the whole time, worried about his brother. He hastily wiped his tears away before anyone could see them and resumed the game. By this time, the score was 250-100. Just as Harry turned, he saw a glint of gold on the other side of the pitch. Without waiting for a second, he rushed after it, with the Slytherin seeker hot on his tail. He dived sharply, trying to throw him off; it worked. People screamed as he sped towards the ground at maximum speed, but he pulled up at the last second, the snitch tightly clutched in his hand.

"He'd done it!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Hadrian Potter has caught the snitch! What a dive that was! Gryffindor wins 400-100!"

Harry landed on the ground, pumping with adrenalin as he saw Alex land next to him. They hugged each other excitedly just as Harry was grabbed by his father in a tight hug.

"Merlin, I thought for sure you were going to be injured," whispered James as he kissed the top of his head.

"He's fine, dad. Don't worry," said Alex, though he too was grabbed by his father in a hug.

"Don't ever scare me like that again boys, okay?" he whispered.

"We'll try, but you know us," said Harry grinning.

James chuckled as he stepped back as the boys were grabbed in a hug by the rest of the Gryffindor team; Oliver was actually in tears, jumping like a maniac.

James took Harry's broom and looked at it. Was it tampered with? He would have to get it checked. He took the other broom as well and walked back to the stands; he didn't want Alex to face the same problem during the next match.

He Apparated to the after sales service division of Nimbus Brooms and gave them the broomsticks, explaining what had happened. He then had to spend the new few hours convincing his wife that it wasn't necessary for her to return this soon and that he would take care of it. He sighed as he finished going through the Ashwood finances, ensuring the investments were in order. After a light dinner, he tucked his daughters in bed and went to his bedroom. He sighed. He really wished Lily would come back soon. He really missed his wife. James knew she would be back for the Yule holidays, but it was difficult to live without his wife. His eyes glistened as he thought of the incident ten years ago. He was so glad that Plan B had not worked like it had. He doubted if he could have gone on without her. He shook his head. Lily was safe and very much alive and as were his four children. He would count his blessings and be happy with his life. Nothing was more important to James than his family and thankfully, he had the best one in the world.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"I'm telling you, it's a giant three headed dog!" said Ron Weasley heatedly.

It a week before the Yule holidays and Ron Weasley kept harassing them about the forbidden corridor, much to Harry's displeasure.

"Why would anyone keep a Cerberus in a school full of children?" asked Harry annoyed.

Though Harry was nowhere interested in this, Alex was, so he was pretending to read while keeping an ear open.

"I don't know," said Ron. "But we saw a trap door under the dog!"

"Who's we?" asked Alex with eyebrows raised.

"Hermione Granger," said Ron, his ears turning pink. "Malfoy challenged me to a duel at midnight in the Trophy room, but she followed me, threatening to tell my brother. We were foiled by Filch. We tried to run, but we accidently entered the forbidden corridor and entered through the door where we found this big three headed dog. We were then talking to Hagrid and he mentioned Nicholas Flamel."

"Nicholas Flamel?" asked Harry in surprise.

"Yeah, have you heard of him?" asked Ron hopefully.

"No," said Harry immediately before Alex could answer. "Haven't heard of him."

Once the others had gone to bed, Harry crawled over to Alex bed and said, "Do you really think it might be here?"

"The Philosopher's Stone?" asked Alex incredulously.

"Seems far-fetched, doesn't it?" replied Harry.

"Why would a six hundred and sixty-five year old man hand over his stone to someone like Dumbledore who is essentially a baby to him?" mused Alex.

After a few minutes of silence, Alex asked, "Do you want to check it out?"

"Come on," muttered Harry as he reached for his trunk. He removed the Invisibility cloak and a tatty piece of parchment. They slowly crept downstairs and once they were in the Common Room, they draped the cloak around themselves and excited the tower.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," muttered Harry as he tapped his wand at the map. The map of Hogwarts appeared and they checked the corridor in front of them.

"All clear," whispered Harry as his brother finished with the silencing charms.

"It really is a marvel isn't it?" whispered Alex, gesturing to the map.

"It is," whispered Harry. "But it probably works only because it was created by the descendants of one of the Founders. How else would it be able to tap into the wards like that if not for dad?"

"True"

They crept to the third floor and looked at the door. Alex flicked his wand and the door opened.

"A simple unlocking charm," muttered Alex. "Something is fishy here"

"You would think that if there was something as important as a stone that can grant you immortally as well as unlimited wealth would be better protected, wouldn't you say?" said Harry.

They opened the door and stepped in only to find a massive three-headed dog. The dog sniffed and started growling, so they stepped out and shut the door.

"Did you see it?" asked Harry.

"The trap door? Obviously," replied Alex.

Just then, the lightning charm activated, bathing the corridor in dim light as they gasped. They huddled closer together as walked slowly, just as Flitch and his cat came in.

"Who's there?" he said. "Show yourself!"

Doing their best not to be noticed, the brothers inched out of the corridor and back to the Grand Staircase.

"Damn," muttered Harry. "So, we learnt nothing"

"Not necessarily," replied Alex. "It means something is there down that trap door. We'll have to talk to mum and dad about it."

"Would you want such a stone?" asked Alex suddenly as they neared the portrait of the Fat Lady.

Harry thought for a few seconds and shook his head. "I don't think so. It's not like we don't have money. Merlin knows we're filthy rich already. As for immortally; what are we going to do with it? Wizards live for an average of 150 years anyway. Why would you want to live more? I would have to watch everyone I know die all around me as I live on. No thanks."

"So true," whispered Alex as they climbed into their respective beds.


	5. The Ministry Ball

Chapter 5

A week later, the four kids were waiting expectantly in the drawing room of Potter Manor, waiting for their mother.

"How was it with just dad to take care of you?" asked Harry.

"Oh, you know how dad is without mum," said Bella, rolling her eyes.

Alex chuckled, but Camellia interrupted and said, "He wasn't so bad. True, he wasn't his usual cheerful self, but he wasn't moping around either."

"Moping around?" asked Harry in surprise. "Where did you learn that?"

"Padfoot," she said with a shrug.

"Oh, and Moony had come for a visit," she continued.

Alex suddenly sat up straight. "And?" he asked expectantly.

"Nothing much," said Bella, leaning back on the plush couch. "He said that he was working abroad and that he has found a stable job in the muggle world. I asked Dad about it and he said that he, mum and Padfoot had used their influence to create a business for him, though Moony doesn't know about their involvement."

"That was nice of them," said Alex surprised.

"It's impossible for him to get a job anywhere in the magical world," said Harry with a sigh. "He has to find work somewhere. Even though things aren't rosy between them as before, I'm glad they're still friends."

"Miss me?" said a voice from the doorway.

Four pairs of green eyes looked at the fifth pair and immediately, the girls rushed into the arms of their mother, who dropped to her knees to hug them properly.

"I missed you girls so much," whispered Lily. She then turned her attention to her eleven-year-old sons. They certainly had gotten taller. She got up, just as they rushed into her arms.

"Oh, boys," she whispered, hugging them tightly. "When will you stop flirting with danger? Reckless flying; a troll and now a jinxed broom"

"Maybe danger likes us," said Harry cheekily.

"Well, I certainly don't approve of your imaginary girlfriend being dangerous," said Lily chuckling.

"Damn, Lily that was bad," said James, as he sat next to his daughters. "What happened to your sense of humour?"

"I had to amuse myself with stupid jokes like this as I went through the worst of the worst books on magic," she said and sighed.

"I'm sorry, mum" whispered Harry, looking at the floor.

"Hey!" said Lily angrily. "I'm your mother. If I don't do it, who else will? And if I don't do it for you, who else would I do it for? Don't feel guilty, Harry. This is no way your fault. I do this because I love you."

"Is he giving you any trouble, Alex?" asked Lily.

"Surprisingly, no," said the younger twin. "He stopped acting like a prat after you yelled at him the last time."

"Enough about the damn scar," said Harry, shaking his head. "Let's go out for dinner."

"Already ahead of you," said James. "I booked us a table at the Grand Elixir."

Lily sighed in contentment. It was so good to be home.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"You're serious?" asked Lily in shock.

"What's the Philosopher's stone?" asked Belladonna curiously.

"It a legendary substance with astonishing powers," said James in shock. "It is said to convert any metal to pure gold and also produced an elixir that will keep you immortal."

"Immortal?" asked Camellia in confusion.

"It means you can never die," said Alex quietly.

"Someone actually has something like that?" asked Bella in surprise.

"It was said to have been created by Nicholas Flamel, an alchemist," said Lily. "I remember reading about him years ago."

"He's also mentioned in Dumbledore's chocolate frog card," said Harry.

"Do you think the stone is at Hogwarts now?" asked James curiously.

"Not sure," replied Alex with a shrug. "We checked out that forbidden corridor and it only had a simple locking charm and then a Cerberus inside it."

"The dog is standing on a trap door," said Harry.

"Don't you think it's too simple to get through?" asked Lily.

James rubbed his chin. "Maybe so," he replied slowly. "But it is also possible that it creates a false sense of security for the thief. Maybe the wards would flare up when he actually has the stone."

"A good defence is the best offence is always Albus' theory," said Lily, shaking her head. "We went full defensive ten years ago and look what happened. Had we stayed behind the war wards around the manor. . ."

"Let it go, Lily, it's done," said James, squeezing her hand softly.

"Your scar hurts around your Defence professor?" asked James.

"Sometimes, yes," replied Harry. "But it happens in the Great Hall too so I'm not sure if it is because of him. Once the pain flared up when we were having our Quidditch practice. What does that mean?"

"I don't know," said Lily, looking thoughtful.

"Albus still hasn't spoken to you guys?" asked James.

Both boys shook their heads. James and Lily sighed in confusion and frustration. There were too many pieces to the puzzle and they couldn't figure it out!

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Albus Dumbledore frowned. What was going on at Hogwarts? He had known that Quirrell would go after the stone and had tried to lure the Potter twins to a grand adventure to stop him. But there was something odd about Quirrell. He paused. The wards had sensed a dark presence in the school recently, but he had no idea where it was as the place was filled with dark objects without him knowing where they were! The wards of Hogwarts were amazing, no doubt, but there were mangled in more ways than one could hope to understand.

He sighed. He still was no closer to finding out who the child of the prophecy was. He could call the boys to his office and interrogate them, but that wouldn't achieve anything. He knew the wording of the prophecy and from what he had been able to find out, both boys had been marked. So which scar was the one given by Voldemort and which wasn't? Both had magical residue from what he could gather from the long-distance passive scans, but that didn't answer any questions. He needed to do a deep level scan to find out and such scans couldn't be performed on them without Lily or Minerva pouncing on him.

He had been shocked as anyone else when Sybill Trelawney had spoken the prophecy to him. Halfway through, he had detected someone outside the door and had blasted them out, but in his haste in listening to the prophecy, Severus had escaped. But in the end, it didn't matter as Voldemort had been vanquished. He had been incredibly sad about the deaths of James and Lily, but he knew that it was fate and were necessary for the greater good. But when Hagrid announced that two Potters were alive, he was not sure if he was happy or not. His plans had always been based on the fact that the child of the prophecy would only look to him for guidance. No one else could be trusted with information; of that, he had been sure. Getting rid of Sirius had been a painful decision, but he knew that Sirius would not have raised the children well. That's why with a heavy heart, he had informed that he had been the Secret Keeper; it was after all for the greater good.

But it seems the Potters and Sirius hadn't taken his actions very well. They had been furious about the way he was treating them and had cut off all contact with him. Albus sighed again. It would be so much easier if he could be friends with James and Lily again, but alas! It was not meant to be so.

Just then, Hagrid entered the office and started babbling about dead unicorns. Albus' eyes went wide. There was only one person who would stoop to such a level, and it looked like he was at Hogwarts at the moment which explained the darkness detected by the wards. He would have to keep a closer eye on Quirrell.

Hmm, maybe he could use Voldemort's presence to his advantage in finding out the child of the prophecy . . . he didn't like manipulating those children, but it was all for the greater good.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alexander Potter put on his dragon hide boots and firmly tucked them in place. He got up and stood in front of the large mirror in his room. His shirt was deep red and his tie and vest were silver in colour while his trousers and robes were black and all made of beautiful and fashionable Acromantula silk. The robes were expertly cut to fit his body perfectly and he had to admit, he looked really good as he examined his reflection in the mirror. He heard the door to his bedroom open.

"I have to say, Harry, you really have impeccable taste when it comes to clothes. I'm glad I let you do the shopping for us," said Alex, looking at his brother.

Harry grinned. He was wearing an identical looking shirt and dress robes. Some twins might not want to dress in identical looking clothes, wanting to stand out and not be lumped together, but Harry and Alex didn't mind this at all. Their family and friends never had an issue with telling them apart and they treated them as two people, never giving rise to that problem. Besides, when one family had two pairs of twins, one had to learn every trick in the book to maintain order. The manor was in enough chaos with four naughty kids as it was and they didn't need new problems. Besides, to Harry, Alex, Bella and Camellia, it gave them a sense of support that they always had each other to lean on. Their father had always stressed that family was everything and the four siblings had taken that advice to heart.

"I'm glad we got these robes," said Harry, sitting down on the bed. "They're really comfortable."

"I'll say" muttered Alex, as they headed down.

It was the 21st of December and it had been three days since they had come home for the winter holidays. Today evening, Harry and Alex would be attending the annual Ministry of Magic Yule Ball for the first time. Their parents and sisters had attended the Ball every year of course, but they never head, knowing it would create a storm. Besides, at the time, their parents' priority had been to keep them from Albus Dumbledore or any unsavoury people. But now, since they were back in the open, it was time for them to meet the important people of the British Magical world.

As they waited in the formal drawing room, their sisters were the first to arrive.

"Aww, you both look so cute," said Alex with a grin. "Do you want us to keep the boys away?"

Bella crinkled her nose cutely. "Of course," she said. "Boys are icky."

Alex and Harry looked at each other and started laughing. The two eight-year-old twin girls were dressed in an identical looking emerald green dress each, perfectly matching their eyes. Diamond earrings were sparkling off their ears and small diamond pendants hung from their necks. They really looked adorable.

The four Potter children waited for about ten minutes when finally their parents came down as well. James and Lily were going with matching blue colours. James' shirt was deep blue, his tie and vest were silver like those of his sons' and his trousers and robe were black and made of Acromantula silk. Lily wore a beautiful long blue dress with diamond jewellery glittering off her neck, ears and hands.

"Oh, look at my babies!" gushed Lily. "You four look really adorable. Tippy!"

The House Elf appeared with a pop in front of her with a camera, but even she couldn't help but swoon.

"Young masters be looking very good!" said Tippy happily.

"Thank you, Tippy," said all four at the same time, with a smile on their faces.

James tapped the camera with his wand and it levitated in the air. They all stood together with James and Lily in the middle, Harry next to his father and Alex next to his mother and Belladonna and Camellia in front of their parents. There was a flash and the picture was taken.

"Wait, I want more pictures," said Lily, making the boys groan.

"Oh, don't be babies," said Lily amused. "Go on James."

"I think Bella wants to go first," said James backing away.

"Oh no, daddy," said Belladonna mischievously. "You can go first."

"Oh, come on!" said James exasperatedly. "You're supposed to be my little girl! How could you betray daddy like that?"

"Because it's fun?" said Camellia innocently.

"Who taught that innocent expression to these four anyway?" asked James frustrated.

"That would be Sirius," said Lily amused. "Now hurry up! We have to leave soon. The sooner you pose for me, the sooner it will be done with."

"I hate posing for photographs," muttered James. "It's the most annoying thing in the world."

"You're supposed to smile, dad," said Harry with a smirk.

James simply glared at his oldest but posed for his wife.

"Now there's a supermodel!" said Alex with a grin. "You're better looking than those male Veela models, dad! Maybe you should quit politics and join the fashion industry."

"Why is it that I'm always the one who gets picked on?" whined James.

"Because mum is too scary," said Bella with a smirk.

"Lose to scowl, love," said Lily, as she looked at James with the camera suspend in front of her. "Smile!"

James gave a fake smile, but unfortunately, his torture didn't end there. He was forced be at the receiving end of multiple photographs with and without his children and wife, so by the fiftieth photograph, he felt like banging his head against the wall.

"Are we done yet?" asked James, as he lay his head on the back of the couch.

"Yes," said Lily. "Come on, let's go."

"Finally," muttered Harry as Alex nodded too.

They all headed to the fireplace and said, "Ministry of Magic"

Green flames enveloped them as they disappeared from Potter Manor, emerging from the fireplace in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The annual Yule Ball at the Ministry of Magic was held on the 21st of December where all the employees and Wizengamot members were invited. It certainly was massive but high standard and flair which were prevalent in parties thrown by any of the Ancient Houses were missing. Even though the Ball was open to all Ministry employees, half of them didn't attend, choosing to spend it at home. The Grand Ballroom of the Ministry was huge, but wasn't fashionably decorated like the manors of Ancient Houses. The simplicity, yet beautiful design was soothing to look at, though.

Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was standing in the middle of the Ballroom, looking nervous. This would be the first time he would be meeting the Boys Who Lived. He had wanted to meet them as soon as he was elected into office, but Lord and Lady Potter had been adamant about them not coming out in public this soon. He had been furious, but he knew to hold his tongue; after all, the Potter family was known for that sort of thing. Sometimes the country wouldn't even know that the family had a child until the said child came to Hogwarts for their first year, so this was nothing new to them. But he also knew that they were not to be messed with. Cornelius still remembered Lord Charlus Potter and his wife Dorea. James' parents had been a force to be reckoned with, both magically and politically. He did not want to get on the bad side of the Most Ancient Houses, especially after the revelation of Lily Potter's ancestry. For some reason, his Undersecretary had been particularly sour about that.

"Ah, Fudge," said Lucius Malfoy, coming towards him. "Good to see you again."

"Lucius," said Cornelius with a smile. "Welcome; and you too Lady Malfoy. But where's dear Draco?"

"I believe he is talking to some of his friends from school," said Narcissa with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Tell me, Cornelius, do you think the Potters will show?" asked Lucius with his eyebrows raised. "I find myself troubled by the fact that they keep their children confined at their manor for a decade."

"Nonsense, Lucius," said Cornelius, waving his hand about. "I'm sure they're fine. Oh, here they are!"

Lucius turned and indeed, the family of six had just come in and were talking to the Bones family. His grey eyes narrowed as he saw the boys. So, these were the Boys Who Lived. Draco had told him about them, but he was curious about them himself.

"Lord and Lady Potter," said Minister Fudge smiling brightly. "I'm so glad you are here."

"It's a please to see you as well, Minister," said James with a small smile. "I believe you have already met our daughters Belladonna and Camellia? These are our sons Hadrian and Alexander."

"It's an honour to meet you, Minister Fudge," said Harry formally, shaking the Minister's hand.

"The honour is mine, Heir Potter," said Cornelius smiling widely. "Heir Ashwood," he said, shaking Alex's hand as well.

"Minister," said Alex with a smile.

Just as Lily finished talking to Susan's mother, she came over and saw the Malfoys coming towards them.

"Ah, Lord Potter," said Lucius silkily. "Nice to meet you again."

"Lord Malfoy" nodded James curtly. "Narcissa," he said, acknowledging his cousin.

"James," said the Lady Malfoy with a nod.

Leaving her husband to handle it, Lily stiffly took her daughters and started talking to the others who had not yet spoken to her after she had claimed the Ashwood Lordship. She really couldn't stand Malfoy, so she tried to avoid the man as much as possible.

"And these must be your sons," said Lucius, looking down at them with cold grey eyes. "Hadrian and Alexander Potter"

"Lord Malfoy," they chorused softly, though they were uncomfortable in the man's presence. Clearly, Draco wasn't anything like his father. Lucius had a dangerous aura about him.

"I was just asking Cornelius about the unwanted secrecy," said Lucius. "I mean, spending ten full years being locked up in your manor? I doubt children would appreciate being treated like ah, _prisoners_ "

"I don't know why you think so, Lord Malfoy," said Harry smoothly, his silky black hair falling elegantly over his eyes as he gracefully adjusted his bangs. "We may not have gone to school like the other children of Magical Britain, but that is hardly something to be worried about considering that generations of Potters have been home-schooled before going to Hogwarts. I believe the Blacks do the same thing as well, as I'm sure Lady Malfoy has already told you."

Lucius looked at the boy in surprise. It looks like his son's assessment of the boys was wrong. Before he could say anything more, the other twin continued.

"Besides, I doubt our home resembles Azkaban," said Alex with a small smile. "We have plenty of room to play and have fun. Either way, I don't understand why people tend to think we were locked up at our manor. We certainly have been to different carnivals and Quidditch matches all over the country. Just because no one spots us doesn't mean we aren't there."

"You see Lucius?" said Fudge happily. "I told you they were probably going out and about. Please enjoy yourselves. I'm glad you could make it to the Ball."

With a short bow, Fudge backed away and started talking and kissing the arses of the other influential purebloods in the room. James was standing silently behind his sons, observing Malfoy and trying very hard not to smirk. He really had trained his boys well.

"Harry! Alex!" said an excited voice. A black haired six-year-old boy with light grey eyes came up to them.

"Ah, Heir Black," said Lucius, smiling evilly (at least according to the kids) at him.

Harry and Alex stiffened and pulled the boy between themselves and took each of his hand in theirs. They were incredibly protective of Rigel and from what their godfather had told them, Lucius had wanted the Black fortune for his family and had been very frustrated when Sirius had not died in the war.

"Lord Malfoy," said Rigel, as he swallowed in fear, clutching the hands of the twins tightly.

"I think it is time for us to mingle, boys," said James. "It was nice meeting you, Lord Malfoy."

"Of course, Lord Potter," said Lucius with a small smirk.

Alex involuntarily shivered as the man passed by. "He gives me the creeps," he whispered.

"Yeah, me too," muttered Harry.

"He's scary," whispered Rigel.

"Don't worry, Rigel, we're there for you," said Alex, hugging the small boy.

"Forget about him," muttered James. "You're all too young for politics. Just talk to everyone and have a good time."

"I see you met Lucius," said Sirius, coming over to them and giving James a glass of firewhisky.

"Go on, boys," said Sirius. "Rigel, stick close to them."

"Yes, daddy," said the six-year-old boy happily as they tried to find their friends.

The next two hours was spent talking to nearly everyone as they had dinner. All of them wanted to meet the Boys Who Lived and this made Harry and Alex quite frustrated after the two-hour mark.

"I wish we could get out of here," said Alex, after talking to Lord Nott.

"We can't," said Harry, schooling the expression on his face as he tried very hard not to scowl. "Otherwise I would have left long ago."

The orchestra started playing a song for the couples to dance, so the people made their way to the middle of the dance floor and started dancing.

"It really was a shock to all of us, Lily," said Madam Marchbanks, smiling at Lily Potter. "Imagine the surprise when the Daily Prophet tells us one morning that the Ashwood family which was thought to be extinct was actually not, and that you are the last member of the once prominent family!"

"It was a shock to us too," said Lily with a smile. "It was supposed to be a simple day with us making Harry the heir, but it became something much more."

"They kids really are adorable," said Lady Acton with a smile. "Augusta told me that they are quite a handful."

Lily laughed. "Well, I thought I had it bad with my sister when I was growing up," she said. "But the competitiveness between them is much more as compared to other siblings as there is no age gap. And with two pairs of twins, with all them inheriting their father's penchant for trouble, let's just say I'm glad the manor is standing in one piece."

"I can't wait to evaluate them for their OWLs and NEWTs," said Madam Marchbanks. "If they are anything like you, I'm sure it will certainly be a treat."

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alice Longbottom sighed as she accepted a glass of wine from Elizabeth Greengrass. "Why is it that we always come here every year, knowing how bad it is?" she said.

"Because it is expected," said Amelia, taking a sip from her wine glass. "Trust me, I would rather go anywhere other than the Ministry on my days off, but where do I end up? The Ministry!"

Lily laughed. "Same here, but I was able to get my share of fun before we left."

"Let me guess," said Mary Bones nee Macdonald amused. "Photographs?"

"Spot on," said Lily as she chuckled. "I think James was ready to bang his head against the wall after the fiftieth photograph."

"Oh, that is nothing," said Elizabeth, laughing. "Cyrus threatened to run away if any of us mentioned the word shopping again after the last trip to Paris."

Through the corner of her eye, Amelia could see Narcissa Malfoy observing them.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Draco Malfoy strode pompously towards the group of girls. He knew that Greengrass wouldn't refuse to dance with him. After all, he was the Heir of the Noble House of Malfoy and had the Minister in his pocket! How could no one want him? She would learn that she couldn't deny him for long.

"Oh, great," muttered Daphne as she spotted the ferret heading towards them.

"What is it, Daphne?" asked Camellia curiously.

"It's Malfoy," said Astoria. "He's been annoying my sister since forever about a betrothal contract."

"But those contracts haven't been used for a long time," said Cassiopeia Black, confused.

"Like he cares about it," muttered Susan. "Let's leave before he comes here."

Unfortunately, they weren't so lucky. Draco strutted towards them, but before he could open his mouth, someone else came forward and said, "May I have this dance, Lady Daphne?"

Daphne had a small smile on her face as she said, "Of course, Heir Potter"

Without waiting for a second longer, Harry steered her away to the dance floor as Draco went red in the face and stormed away.

"Oh, looks like dear Draco couldn't handle the competition," said Alex, looking amused. "No offence to him, but he stands no chance as long as my brother is around."

Everyone snickered.

"Do you think Harry likes her?" asked Bella excitedly, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

Alex slowly drank from his glass of butterbeer as he turned to face his sister. "You observed his reaction over the past few months and you came up with the conclusion that he has a crush on Daphne. You snooped around to find out about this and I had nothing to do with it. After all, I can't reveal my brother's secrets, even to our sister."

"Yes, you're right," said Bella with a smirk. "Too bad you can't tell us about it."

"How did you not get sorted into Slytherin?" asked Cassiopeia, shaking her head.

"I begged the hat to put me in Gryffindor," said Alex with a smirk. "I'm sure Harry was considered for that house too. He just doesn't show that side of him as much as I do."

"You mean the hat actually listened to you?" asked Neville in surprise.

Alex shrugged in response.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Thanks for rescuing me back there, Harry," said Daphne as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I really appreciate it."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" asked Harry with a smile. "Besides, how could I in good conscience leave you with Malfoy?"

"He just doesn't seem to get a hint," said Daphne shaking her head. "I had hoped that after that conversation with Snape, Malfoy would stop it."

Harry snorted. "Oh, please! This is Draco Malfoy. Besides, he was probably instructed by his father to not give up. Between you and me, his father gives me the creeps!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," grimaced Daphne. "He really is scary."

The song changed as they danced slowly in each other's arms. Harry's faced turned pink as Daphne stared into his eyes. The past few months had been confusing for him. He didn't know why, but his feelings for Daphne had changed. He had confided about this with his brother, but unfortunately, Alex wasn't any good at this either. Harry was really confused. He knew that Daphne was his best friend, but he also couldn't help but feel anxious every time he saw her. Just what was going on?

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Oh, great," muttered Cyrus. "And so it begins."

"Huh?" said Frank, turning his gaze at where his friend was looking. He rolled his eyes. "Cyrus, give it a rest. They're only eleven. Even eighteen-year-olds don't have a stable relationship and these two probably don't even know what that means."

Sirius snickered. "I think it is time to sit the boys down for a heart to heart talk, don't you think, Prongs?"

James grinned viciously. "Oh, most definitely," he said. "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces. We'll see if Alex is still grinning after that!"

"So soon?" asked Cyrus.

"Do you think you can do it for Neville too?" asked Frank hopefully.

"And release you from the burden? I think not," said Sirius grinning. "I think we can sit all three of them together, with Cyrus glaring at Harry from the side."

"Oh, that brings flashbacks," said Cyrus, shaking his head. "I remember Lizzie's father glaring at me when we first started dating."

"Eh, we've all been there," said Sirius with a shrug. "But this is a conversation I am looking forward to," he said with a glint in his eye.

"Watch out boys" whispered James; "Uncle Padfoot has something very embarrassing planned for you."

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The fireplace at Potter Manor burst into emerald flames and the family of six stepped out.

"Did you enjoy the Ball, Harry?" asked Bella lightly.

"Yes," squeaked Harry. His face was pink with embarrassment.

"Are you sure?" asked Alex with a smile. "You look like you wanted to stay there and not come back."

"I'm fine!" snapped Harry. "Why is it so hot in here? What happened to the environmental charms?"

"They're working fine, Harry," said James with a smile. "Are you sure you are alright, son?"

"YES!" shouted Harry, his ears now turning red. "I'm completely alright! Good night!"

"Harry, don't you want a kiss on the cheek from your little sister?" said Camellia, with a small smirk.

"Oh, but that would remove the sweet scent of Daphne from his cheek," said Alex grinning. "Isn't that right, Harrykins?"

Harry screamed in frustration as he climbed up the large marble staircase to the second floor.

"Must you all ruin his moment?" asked Lily tiredly. "They looked really cute together."

"Yes," said James, eyes twinkling. "They did. But we couldn't control ourselves when Rigel went over to them and asked Harry what everyone meant when they said that he had a crush on Daphne. And the little guy asked that when Harry was dancing with Daphne!"

"You should have seen his face!" laughed Bella. "I don't think Cassie was more proud of her little brother than at that moment."

"And after Daphne kissed him on the cheek before we left, we just couldn't resist," said Alex grinning.

"Oh, alright," said Lily. "But go check up on him, James. We don't want him to ruin his friendship with Daphne just because of this."

"I'll do it," said Alex before James could answer and ran up the stairs.

"Great," muttered Lily. "That certainly won't end well."

"I think it is time for The Talk," said James nodding. "But not tonight; maybe after the second term of school"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry stripped down to his underwear to get ready for bed, fuming. How could Alex tell everyone about that? He had confided in him and had trusted him to keep the secret to himself and the little bugger had blabbed! While he was very happy with Daphne kissing him on the cheek, that happiness was overshadowed by the anger he felt towards his twin. Now even their parents knew about it! He groaned as he realised that even Daphne knew something was amiss; Rigel coming and asking him that question certainly hadn't helped matters any.

Just as his anger had started to melt away, the door to his bedroom opened with a click and his twin brother stepped inside.

"Harry-" began Alex, but that was all he could say before he was tackled to the floor, with Harry sitting on his stomach and as he threw a punch at his brother.

"How could you tell everyone?" shouted Harry. "I told you not to tell anyone about it!"

"I didn't!" said Alex indignantly as he pushed his brother off him. "Bella figured it out!"

"She wouldn't have started investigating if you hadn't said something to pique her curiosity in the first place!" said Harry as they wrestled on the floor.

"Come on!" panted Alex, avoiding a punch. "It's not that big of a deal! It was just us, Harry. Lighten up! It's not like anyone else at the Ball heard it."

"Daphne heard it, you moron!" shouted Harry, pinning his brother to the ground.

"She likes you too, obviously!" said Alex exasperated.

"Wait, she does?" asked Harry suddenly.

"I have no idea," said Alex. "I'm guessing she does."

"What if she doesn't?" asked Harry.

"Oh, come on! She gave you a kiss on the cheek, didn't she?" asked Alex, sitting up. They stayed silent for several minutes, not looking at the other.

"I'm sorry, Harry," whispered Alex. "I shouldn't have said it."

"It's okay," muttered Harry. "I overreacted"

"So we're cool?" asked Alex hopefully.

Harry smirked. "I don't think so," he said grinning viciously. "I'm not going to forgive you so easily, little brother. I'm going to get even."

"What?" asked Alex, shocked. "B-but. . ."

Harry getting even was something much, much worse than their usual fights as the elder twin would come up with delicious ways to get back at his siblings. While it was quite easy to take the first shot at Harry as compared to the others, Alex, Bella and Camellia couldn't ever compete with him in cooking up the best revenge strategies.

"Please Harry?" begged Alex. "I'm your twin brother! I love you!"

"Aww, I love you too," said Harry smirking. "Now get out. I have to plan my revenge on everyone."

"Maybe this wasn't one of my better ideas," muttered Alex as he walked to his room.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** Are all witches and wizards home-schooled before going to Hogwarts? Where do they get their basic education from? While it can be assumed that the Ancient Houses hire tutors for their children, what about the rest? Since there is Hogwarts from the age of eleven, shouldn't there be a school before that to teach the basics?

As you can see, this is still a manipulative Dumbledore. He doesn't mind using opportunities for his own gain, but he isn't specifically out to kill the Potter twins. Someone asked me why the Potters cut off all contact with him. Well, why not? He tried to take their children to the last person they wanted; he painted a target on Sirius and also tried to bring unwanted attention to their family. They didn't know how to react to his actions, which was why they felt they couldn't stay in his camp anymore.


	6. Detention in the Forest

Chapter 6

The rest of the Yule holidays was filled with fun and laughter in Potter Manor as they all forgot about their problems and the family of six truly had fun, especially Harry as he was able to get back at his siblings. They went to the newly opened magical amusement park in Cornwall for a day while watching a game of Quidditch the next. So by the time the end of the holidays rolled in, the family was content to have spent quality time with each other.

"I'll be back before the end of term," said Lily as she hugged her boys amidst stares from everyone at the platform. "Then I can teach you those specialised spells."

"Be careful, boys," said James as he hugged them. "Clearly, there is something going on at Hogwarts that isn't normal. Keep an eye out and if you find anything suspicious, call me immediately and alert the teachers."

"We will," they chorused.

They hugged Bella and Camellia goodbye and boarded the train. They found their friends already occupying a compartment and went inside as they all began discussing their holidays. Harry and Daphne acted normal, careful to avoid what happened on Yule. Several hours later, they had returned to Hogwarts.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The second term was going very well for now. There had been another Quidditch match scheduled between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and the former won by a margin of 210 points. James had given the brooms back to his sons as Nimbus couldn't find anything wrong with them. He had come back to ensure nothing happened and thankfully, the game progressed well. James had also spoken to Professor Quirrell, being curious about him, but after one conversation, he didn't know what to think. On one hand, Harry's scar hurt in the man's presence, but at the same time, Quirrell seemed harmless. Lily had been relieved that nothing dangerous had happened.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The months passed by. Harry and Alex had kept an eye out as their parents had said, but much to their relief, there was nothing out of the ordinary, but in the beginning of April, trouble started anew.

"He has a what?" asked Alex incredulously.

"A dragon!" exclaimed Ron Weasley.

While they weren't best friends with him like Ron Weasley had hoped, Harry and Alex were friendly acquaintances with the boy since they shared a dorm with him, though Harry didn't care for the boy's lazy attitude; there was a reason the Sorting Hat had seriously considered placing Harry in Ravenclaw. Alex though, was patient enough to at least talk to the boy cordially, even if he too wasn't fond of the youngest Weasley's constant talk about chess or Quidditch, not to mention his bigotry. The boy also seemed to have become friends with Hermione Granger, though the twins had no idea how that came to be. Granger wasn't really well-liked because of her bossy attitude and had managed to annoy the purebloods already, though the brothers had only briefly spoken to her until now.

"How did he get his hands on an egg?" asked Harry sceptically.

"I don't know," said Ron. "But the thing hatched and Malfoy knows about it!"

Harry and Alex looked at each other. "Just tell him to inform Dumbledore," said Harry with a shrug. "He'll send it away to a dragon reserve. . ."

As his voice trailed off, he looked towards Alex and said, "Don't we own a dragon reserve in Romania?"

"I think so," he said, frowning.

"You own the dragon reserve my brother works for? That's one of the largest sanctuaries in the world!" asked Ron, with jealousy evident in his voice.

"We can ask dad to send a couple of people and smuggle it out of the country," said Alex nodding to his brother. "It's better without Ministry interference."

Once Ron had gone to bed, they called their dad and it turned out that the Potters did indeed own the dragon reserve.

"I'll call them and tell them to come," said James. "They'll probably have to do it in the dead of the night, though. Do you think you can help? As much as I don't like it, it is a great asset for the reserve to get a Norwegian Ridgeback like this for free."

"We'll help them when they get here, dad," said Alex. "In the meantime -"

"-we'll go convince Hagrid" finished Harry.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Convincing Hagrid about it had not been easy, as the half-giant wasn't willing to part with the dragon. It had been a tense meeting as that was the first time Harry and Alex had even spoken to the man personally and here they were, telling him to get rid of his dragon. But once they mentioned that holding on to the dragon could land him in Azkaban, the groundskeeper had reluctantly agreed.

So here they were, a week after they found out about the dragon, prowling around the castle in the dead of the night under an invisibility cloak.

"You two are idiots!" hissed Neville.

"Hey, I thought it would be fun to drag you along," said Alex grinning.

Harry smirked as he checked the map. "Coast is clear," he whispered. "Malfoy is in the dungeons; not sure why he hasn't told anyone about this as Ron said he knew about the dragon. Anyway, the path to the Astronomy tower is clear of Mr and Mrs Norris."

Alex and Neville snickered. "I wonder how that cat came to be called _Mrs_ Norris," said Alex.

"Makes you wonder what happened to Mr Norris," said Neville laughing.

"That's Flitch's alter ego," said Harry with a grin. "Is it any wonder he doesn't like humans when he loves cats so much more than normal? I wonder if Dad can teach me human transfiguration yet. It would be fun to see how Mrs Norris behaves around Filch when he is a cat himself."

"Bad images," muttered Alex as they climbed up the stairs.

They waited for fifteen minutes until they heard the sound of brooms. The men dropped their disillusionment charms and showed their identifications, careful not to approach the walls of the castle; they didn't want to trigger the wards, after all.

"Mr and Mr Potter," said the man, nodding to them. "I'm Sunder Dorian of the Romanian Dragon Reserve. We're here for the Norwegian Ridgeback."

"Here you are, Mr Dorian," said Harry, handing over a suitcase via a levitation charm. "It has been expanded on the inside with environmental charms present. You'll find the dragon quite comfortable."

The man grinned. "Thank you, Mr Potter. Good night to you all."

The boys nodded as the two men reapplied the disillusionment charms and flew rapidly into the night sky so that they could portkey back to Romania before either magical government realised what had happened.

"Damn, dad surely is well connected, isn't he?" muttered Alex.

"Too right," said Harry. "I wonder how he got that international portkey."

"Can we get back to the tower?" asked Neville as he yawned. "I don't know why you made me come here in the first place."

"We like the extra company, Nev," said Harry with a smile. "Besides, don't you like the night time stroll?"

"Not really. I prefer to sleep," said Neville as the twins laughed.

They reached the portrait of the fat lady and removed their cloak. Once Harry had stuffed it into his robes, they muttered the password to the sleeping fat lady and entered the common room, only to be stopped by –

"Well, well, well," said Severus Snape, smirking darkly at the three boys in front of him. "What do we have here? Students out of bounds; though it not surprising that it is the Potter twins and Longbottom."

Harry, Alex and Neville were shocked to stillness, staring at the Potions master. Harry was mentally cursing himself for not checking the map before entering the common room. But then again, who would expect the Head of Slytherin to be in the Gryffindor Common Room at two in the morning?

"Good morning, Professor," said Alex calmly, trying to put on a brave face.

Snape smirked. Draco had come to him a week ago about a dragon which Hagrid seems to have had in his hut. At first, he thought the whole thing was ridiculous, but he had decided to keep an eye on the situation. He knew that Hagrid would always be protected by Dumbledore, so there was no point in pinning the blame on him, but he would surely enjoy taking those blasted twins down a peg or two! That evening at dinner, he could observe the boys fidgeting slightly and a Legilimency probe into the mind of that dimwit moron Ronald Weasley got him the information he needed. It didn't implicate the Potters in anything and he didn't know if they were going to do something about the dragon, but a discreet alert charm placed on the corridor leading to the Fat Lady's portrait after curfew had alerted him that someone had crossed the threshold. He had immediately set off to Gryffindor Tower as even though he was a Slytherin, all teachers knew the passwords of the four common rooms; well, three, as Ravenclaw had that eagle knocker.

"Don't give me that, Potter," said Snape softly. "You were out of bed at night after curfew, breaking the school rules in the process. You both are just like your father, thinking you can get away with everything and that the world revolves around you. But the fact of the matter is that you are a bunch of worthless morons who are not fit to carry dragon dung. Although that is saying something, considering that your father only has dung in his brains. It's a miracle that people around him can stand the smell. Anyone else might call him a troll as he is stupid as one anyway, just like you two."

"Shut up," snarled Harry, his face turning red.

"What did you say?" said Snape dangerously.

"He told you to shut up, Snape," said Alex angrily. "One more word about our father and you won't like the consequences."

"Are you threatening me, Potter?" said Snape advancing on the three boys.

"Yes," snarled Harry, moving forward, his eyes flashing green as his anger intensified. "Our father is greater than you could ever hope to be Snape, so don't you dare mock him. He isn't a murdering Death Eater like you who tortures and kills people for fun. He is a good man who was willing to lay down his life to protect his wife and children. You're not fit to wipe the slime from his boots!"

"Your father is a swine and should be put down like a rabid dog that he is," snarled Snape when Alex tried to charge at him but was held back by Neville.

"Neville – let – me – go!" said Alex angrily. "I'll bloody kill that bastard!"

"You idolise him, don't you, Potter?" said Snape snidely, looking at the face filled with the immense fury of the Potter Heir. "Let me enlighten you what a man your father is. He is nothing but a snivelling coward with a head the size of a planet who hides behind other skirts and bullied others with superior numbers-"

"Like you?" said Harry sneering. When he was angry, Harry could be mean with his words. Once when they had fought horribly a couple of years ago, Harry had told his brother that he hated Alex and wished that he wasn't born as his brother. Needless to say, he felt incredibly guilty after seeing the crumpled look on his brother's face, but it had taken a long time for Alex to forgive him (not to mention Harry had been grounded for three weeks). The brothers had since made up and their bond had strengthened considerably since that incident, but Harry wasn't willing to hold his tongue now.

"We know exactly what you did in your school years, _Snivellus,_ " said Harry with a sneer, the haughty, aristocratic look on his face enhancing his features; he looked less like a Potter and more like a Black. "We know how you used to curse the first years and muggleborns with your little Death Eater friends. We also know that you were friends with our mum since childhood and how she hated you after you called her a _filthy mudblood whore_ in public. Why is it wrong when our dad bullies you when you do the same to innocents? You and your friends were never innocent. At least his pranks never harmed anyone. But you, you couldn't handle it, could you? The jealous, petty, ugly git that you are didn't like our dad and you're taking that hatred out on us now! Don't lecture us about our dad, _Snivellus._ You couldn't measure up to him if you tried. That's why our mum married him and has never even stopped to spit on your face. _You disgust me_. It's no wonder you are a sad, pathetic, lonely git. At least our father has a family who loves him. What do you have? Nothing. You are such a loser that I bet even a Dementor wouldn't want to kiss you."

Snape's face hardened and his fingers traced the handle of his wand to curse Potter into smithereens. Oh, how he wished he could cast the Cruciatus Curse and listen to the delicious screams of the brat. _One day, Hadrian Potter, mark my words. I will take great pleasure listening to you scream your head off as I torture you into insanity. Then I'll make you watch as I torture and kill your precious little brother while I obliterate every member of your family and take Lily as mine, as she always should have been._

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for being out of bounds after curfew," said Snape smoothly. "Each. And a hundred points each from you both for insulting a teacher. Poor Gryffindor, losing three hundred and fifty points in one night. Just how will you deal with your housemates tomorrow? You three will also serve detention tomorrow night with Filch."

With that, he walked out of the Common Room, his robes billowing about him.

Harry and Alex sat down on the couch by the fire, both breathing heavily.

"You can go to bed, Nev," said Alex curtly. "We won't be able to sleep this soon."

"Are you sure?" asked Neville nervously. He had never seen the twins lose so much control before and considering that they knew each other since birth, that was saying something. Seeing Alex nod, he climbed up to the dorm and shut the door.

For five minutes, no one said a word; volatile emotions were plaguing the minds of both the brothers.

"How dare he?" whispered Alex. "How dare he speak about dad like that?"

Harry was quiet. He knew the repercussions from his verbal lashing would not be good, but the man was also in trouble for insulting the Lord of House Potter that way. Snape would only target them more because of his words, but for some reason, violent thoughts were plaguing Harry's mind as his scar throbbed. He wanted to rip Snape apart . . . he wanted to listen to his screams. . . Harry shook his head. What was that all about?

"We need to talk to mum and dad," he said quietly.

"Well, dad would be asleep, but it will be seven in the morning in India," said Alex, running upstairs to get his mirror. He came down, sat next to his brother and said, "Lily Potter"

They waited for a minute when finally, the mirror cleared and the smiling face of their mother appeared on it.

"Hey boys," she said. "What are you doing up so late?"

Harry and Alex looked at each other and began talking and they could see Lily's face getting redder with every passing second.

"I can't believe I actually considered him to be my best friend once," muttered Lily. "Don't tell your father yet; I'll have to handle it carefully without setting him off. We don't want him to murder Severus accidently."

"I wouldn't mind," said Harry coldly.

"Harry," said Lily sternly, but her eldest son refused to look abashed. "Technically, you did break the rules, but I agree that 350 points at one go is way too much. James and Sirius used to get detentions, but no sensible teacher would take so many points like that."

"Well . . . it is Snape," said Alex.

Lily sighed. "Fine, just serve that detention and we'll take care of Severus, okay? I'm glad you got rid of that dragon this soon. Who knows what would have happened if you had left it even for a few more weeks. I would have preferred you to have asked the teachers for help, but I guess this was okay too. Just where did Hagrid get that egg, anyway?"

"We don't know," said Harry with a shrug. "He didn't tell us when we asked."

"Be careful, boys," said Lily. "I have to go now; my class starts soon. Call me if you need anything. Take care and love you."

"Love you," they chorused and turned off the mirror.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked Alex, his eyes filled with concern.

"No," said Harry coldly. "But Snape wouldn't be either once I'm done with him."

With that, he walked up the stairs, followed by his brother who had a frown on his face. Harry went to bed with his scar throbbing horribly. He didn't go to his brother for help that night and Alex was oblivious to the changes that were taking place in Harry.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry, Alex and Neville walked to the entrance hall at eleven at night.

"Well this certainly makes sense," said Harry sarcastically. "We were out of bounds for the night, and our detention is to be out of bounds again! Who thinks this is an idea from Snape's diabolical mind, trying to give us detention while serving detention? Wouldn't put it past him; the greasy git. I'm so glad he had that Potions accident today. Oh, I heard he was screaming his head off as the potion burned his skin. Too bad he will be completely cured by tomorrow morning. Maybe he deserves another Potions accident, yes, he does. I should pat myself on the back for this one."

Alex and Neville looked at each other with worried expressions. Harry hadn't been himself the entire day. When members of Gryffindor had been furious about losing three hundred and fifty points, Harry had lashed out at them and told them that he would like to see how they would react when someone insulted their father like that and it was stupid of them all to expect Snape to be reasonable with anything concerning the Gryffindors. He had quashed any responses with his venomous tongue, which, for an eleven-year-old, was quite unhealthy to have. He had been very irritable the entire day and had snapped at his friends too many times to count and had even walked out of Potions when Snape had tried to goad him, leading to more loss of points for Gryffindor, but the man had then suffered an accident just a minute later when he tried to vanish Harry's potion. Alex was sure that Harry had something to do with it, but he had been too hesitant to ask him. Professor McGonagall had been furious at Snape's blatant display of blind hatred and targeting eleven-year-olds and had taken it up with Dumbledore with no help; needless to say, she was one angry kitty.

"Come on, brats," said Filch scathingly. "We're going out."

They stepped out into the grounds, the cool night air somewhat placating Harry's temper. He didn't know why he was feeling so angry but felt like ripping Snape apart and torturing him for the way the man had insulted his father. Unknown to Harry, whenever such dark thoughts were entertained in his mind, his eyes would flash crimson for a second before going back to their usual emerald green.

"You won't be spending detention with me, tonight," said Filch with a chuckle.

"Jolly good," said Harry sarcastically.

"You'll be spending it with Hagrid; inside the forest."

"What?" asked Alex in shock.

"Y-You want us to go inside the forest in the dead of the night?" asked Neville fearfully.

"Absolutely not!" said Alex firmly. "Students aren't allowed to go in there and -"

But before he could say anything, Harry cut him off and said, "Fine!"

Alex and Neville looked at Harry with wide eyes as they saw him walk towards Hagrid. Just what was up with him today?

"Harry, buddy, are you alright?" asked Alex worriedly.

"How many times are you going to ask the same question?" snapped Harry, his eyes flashing crimson for a second again, making the two boys jump. "I'm perfectly fine!"

"Should we get someone? McGonagall would go crazy if she knew we were here," whispered Neville.

"If you want to go back, it's your choice," said Harry, going to the edge of the forest. "But I'm going in there."

"Come on," said Hagrid gruffly, oblivious to the situation. "We have a lot to do tonight."

"Why are we going in there?" asked Alex as he swallowed heavily.

"There is sommat tha' is killin' the unicorns," said Hagrid, leading them forward as the three kids lit their wands. "This one be hurt badly. We've got to find it."

Alex and Neville were sticking close together, looking around fearfully. The place really was ominous and the unusual darkness and silence didn't help matters any. Really, why was the forest right next to the school so terrifying? All three had grown up hearing stories about how the Marauders had spent time in the forest, but this was downright scary!

Harry was marching ahead with a defiant expression on his face with Hagrid next him when they heard the rustle of leaves. They all stopped, hearts beating fast.

"Come on," said Hagrid.

"What if that something that is hunting the unicorns finds us first?" asked Neville nervously.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I'll go this way," said Harry, walking away without a moment's hesitation. Alex's eyes went wide. There was no way was he leaving his brother alone; not when he was acting like this.

"I'll go with him," said Alex, talking Fang and rushing after Harry.

"Oh, things are going to be so bad once our parents find out about this," whispered Neville.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Harry, wait up," said Alex as he caught up to his brother. "We shouldn't have come here, detention or not! We should have gone back to the school."

Harry ignored him and walked on. They kept walking for half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, following the blood trail. Alex looked downright terrified as they looked at the think darkness, the light from their wands and occasional moonlight being the only source of light.

"We're here," whispered Harry as he went closer to a clearing, ignoring the pain in his scar.

They inched closer and saw the unicorn on the ground, through the moonlight that had crept in through the branches. The creature was clearly dead, but there was something in a hooded cloak next to it, its head over the wound of the animal, drinking its blood.

"AAAAAHHHHHH"

Harry screamed in pain like he had never screamed before. He fell to the ground, withering like he was on fire as he screamed himself hoarse, clutching his scar which had started bleeding. He looked like he was having a seizure, and from the light of his wand, Alex could see his eyes had turned deep red.

"HARRY!" screamed Alex as he fell down beside his brother, trying to help. The hooded figure ascended towards them, unicorn blood dripping from its mouth as it raised a wand –

" _AVADA KEDAVRA_!"

"NO!"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The ancestral home of the Potter family was quiet; too quiet in fact. In one of the bedrooms on the second floor, the entire family along with several others were standing at different places in the large room, all looking worriedly at the boy sleeping on the bed.

"He seems fine, for now," said Elizabeth Greengrass, looking down at the pale form of Harry Potter. "Physically, there is nothing wrong with him."

"Then what's the problem?" asked Lily fearfully.

"I'm not sure," she said, giving her a pointed look.

Lily understood and closed her eyes in defeat. She didn't know what Harry's scar was, but whatever it was, that was what had caused this.

"You said he saved you from the curse?" asked Amelia.

"He pushed me away," said Alex. His eyes were bloodshot and he was sitting on brother's bed, next to his still form. "I could see the curse heading towards us, but then next thing I knew, I was pushed from its path by Harry who was lying on top of me, still screaming his head off. Then this centaur came to our rescue and drove that, that, whatever it was away."

"Any luck with the investigation?" asked Sirius, looking at his wife.

"As to who it was that attacked them and killed the unicorns? None," said Amelia grimly. "My department has investigated the crime scene and has interrogated the teachers. It turns out that going to the forest late at night was Snape's idea and Filch was happy to bring more misery to the students."

"The good news is that Snape and Filch have been sacked," said Frank quietly. "Mother told me about it. It seems the majority of the Board didn't want to face the backlash over the Boys Who Lived almost being killed while serving detention, though Dumbledore tried very hard to retain him, which was why it was a narrow vote. Seven voted to throw him out while the other five felt it wasn't Snape's fault."

"The entire castle is on high alert," said Amelia. "There is something in the third-floor corridor, which Dumbledore had announced on the opening feast. Not sure what it is, but the protections around the place are quite substantial. My Aurors couldn't even access the corridor. We can't investigate it as the security requirements have been complied with."

James and Lily looked at each other briefly, knowing that this was a recent addition. Clearly, if there were wards around the place, Harry and Alex couldn't have accessed the door before the Yule holidays. James hadn't said a word until now, choosing instead to remain silent.

"The Daily Prophet is here," said Cyrus grimly as he entered the room. He made multiple copies and distributed them to all.

 _BOYS WHO LIVED NEARLY MURDERED INSIDE HOGWARTS GROUNDS_

 _It has come to the notice of the Daily Prophet that the Boys Who Lived, Hadrian James Potter and Alexander Charlus Potter, Heirs of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Ashwood, were almost murdered by an unknown wizard late last night. The twin brothers and their best friend Neville Francis Longbottom, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom were serving detention in the Forbidden Forest late last night for roaming the castle after curfew the night before._

 _Severus Snape, the former Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House who gave the three boys detention and also deducted a whopping three hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor in one go, was forced to resign after the Board of Governors sacked him due to his horribly unprofessional behaviour and unjust punishment that nearly got three students killed. Argus Filch, the notorious and highly disliked caretaker of Hogwarts School was also sacked from his position while Rubeus Hagrid, the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts seems to have been let off with a stern warning._

 _When the two boys were serving detention by investigating the mysterious deaths of unicorns in the forest, they were attacked by an unknown wizard who fired a killing curse at them, which thankfully missed. It is not exactly sure what happened next, though sources say that one of the centaurs who live in the forest saved the boys and brought them back to the castle where their parents were immediately contacted by Professor Minerva McGonagall, who arrived and took them home._

 _Security has been tightened at Hogwarts School and Lady Amelia Black, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement said that there were no leads as of now due to the lack of evidence, though they did thoroughly search the crime scene. Any attempt to trace the magical signature of the curse was useless as it seems the area had already been wiped clean before the Aurors arrived._

 _Are our children truly safe? How safe are the rest when our greatest heroes themselves are in grave danger? What was Albus Dumbledore thinking in hiring a former Death Eater like Severus Snape to teach our children? What are Lords Potter and Longbottom going to do now that they realise that their Heirs were put in danger?_

 _For more details, turn to Page 5_

"Any idea when he will wake up?" asked Camellia softly, trying not to cry.

"Not sure yet," said Elizabeth. "But it might take a few hours. I suggest someone staying with him -"

"I'll do it," said Alex quickly. "I'll be here the whole time, don't worry."

"Alright, son," said James softly. "We'll be right downstairs if you need anything."

"Any luck in finding out what his scar is?" asked Amelia quietly.

"Not yet," whispered Lily sadly as Alice shook her head in frustration.

James idly wondered if he should contact Dumbledore, but shook his head immediately. No, he wouldn't involve the Headmaster. He didn't know what his motives were and had lost all his respect for the old mage when he had let Snape teach children at Hogwarts, knowing what he was. He would have to trust Lily to find out what it was.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alex was sitting alone in Harry's room next to his sleeping brother. Tears prickled the eyes of the eleven-year-old boy as he looked at the pale face of his twin brother.

"What happened to you back there, Harry?" whispered Alex.

He lay down on the bed and put his arms around his brother, hugging him close as his eyes drifted shut, exhaustion taking over.

Alex's closeness and magical presence began soothing Harry who started to regain some colour on his face. The nightmares he was having started to disappear slowly and he stopped sweating, breathing deeply. The Horcrux in his scar was pushed back by the familiar love he had for his little brother. His eyes turned back to their usual green and a small smile involuntarily formed on Harry's lips. Turning to the side, he put his arms and legs around his brother as hate and other intense emotions created by the Horcrux which had gained power due to the intense anger Harry had towards Snape receded, bringing Harry back to normal slowly. _This_ was the reason why Lily always stressed that Harry should have some family member with him when he was unusually angry or upset. Like all forms of Old Magic, positive emotions played an important role in keeping the darkness in Harry's scar at bay while negative emotions strengthened it. Harry had just fought off a possession by the Horcrux, which was now severely weakened due to the counter attack by Harry's soul, but Harry didn't know any of this. He contently slept in his brother's arms, like they had in their mother's womb before they were born, their bond helping Harry regenerate.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alexander Potter woke up listening to the soothing sound of music being played by a music crystal. It was early evening and to his shock, he couldn't find his brother next to him.

"Harry!" he said, looking around. He got up, grabbed his wand and said, " _Humenum Revelio_ "

When he saw the shadow from the bathroom door, he sighed in relief. A minute later, Harry came out, drying his hair with a towel.

"Here you go," said Alex, tossing him a pair of underpants, t-shirt and track pants.

"Thanks," muttered Harry as he dressed in silence.

"Are you okay, buddy?" asked Alex hesitantly.

Harry sighed and sat down on his swirl chair by his desk. "I feel fine, but I can't help but think about what happened. I'm so confused."

They sat in silence for a minute, waiting for their parents. The door opened and Lily and James entered, sighing in relief as they saw their eldest son.

"Oh, Harry," said Lily, giving him a tight hug. "You gave us such a fright"

"I'm sorry," whispered Harry.

"What's the last thing you remember, son?" asked James, sitting next to Alex.

"I-It's very confusing," said Harry. "I remember feeling very angry during our confrontation with Snape. My scar was throbbing the whole time and it continued throughout the day. I kept having this urge to go throttle Snape for what he said about dad. When I found out about our detention, I just went with it. When I saw that, that, whatever it was, my scar exploded in pain, but when I heard the curse, I just pushed Alex away as I moved as well. That's all I remember."

Lily stroked Harry's hair worriedly. "Does the scar still hurt?" she said, placing her hand on it.

Harry sighed in contentment as her cool hand touched his forehead. "Not anymore," he replied.

"Maybe they shouldn't return to school for the rest of the term," said James.

"No, that's not necessary!" said Harry, shaking his head. "It won't happen again, I swear."

"This isn't something you can control, Harry," said James, frowning. "You two were almost killed and I don't want you anywhere near that place, knowing that the killer is still out there."

"Please, dad," pleaded Harry. "I'll be more careful, I promise. I won't take any more chances and I'll listen to Alex. Please don't pull me out."

Alex frowned. "I'm not going back there without Harry," he said stubbornly.

"There was no question about that," said James, running his fingers through his hair. "Lily?"

Lily sighed. "Fine, but you both are staying here for the weekend. You can go back to school on Monday"

Alex and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. James and Lily only hoped that they made the right decision.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** The reason the Horcrux in Harry's scar tried to possess him is because, in this AU, Harry doesn't have the protection that Lily gave him. He survived purely because of fate and the will of Magic. Since he was constantly surrounded by people who love him, the tiny shard of Voldemort's soul wasn't powerful enough to take over his body. But when his anger reached to epic proportions, the Horcrux took advantage of it and began feeding on the dark and negative emotions. The Horcrux behaves similarly to how a Sith gains power – anger, hatred and all those intense emotions play a vital role.

Snape did not insult James again after the first class, but he couldn't resist in this case. I have always found it fishy about the way Snape used to keep those memories in the Pensieve while teaching Harry Occlumency. Wasn't that an invitation, knowing that anyone could watch them? They were his memories, private memories! A few wards would have prevented Harry from watching them. My take on it is that Snape wanted Harry to watch James at his worst moment. What greater torment could he give to James' memory than by knowing that his actions caused Harry to hate or be disgusted with his dead father? I can never, ever respect Snape, or even sympathise with him.

There seems to be some confusion about the Killing Curse, so let me clarify that the curse did not hit Harry. He could sense it because of his scar and he pushed himself and Alex out of the way. Before Quirrell could try again, they were saved by Firenze.

Do leave a review and let me know what you think!


	7. The Man with Two Faces

Chapter 7

Albus Dumbledore frowned as he popped another lemon drop in his mouth. His plan to pique the curiosity of the Potter twins regarding Voldemort's continued existence had turned into a disaster. While he wanted to test the boys, he didn't want them hurt or dead! He had suggested to send them to the forest after he found out about the boys being out of bounds so that they could see how evil Voldemort really was. Instead, they were almost killed by Tom. On top of that, Severus had been sacked by the Board of Governors. He had protested greatly against it, but alas! They did not know that Severus' role as a spy was very useful when Voldemort returned someday. Severus had naturally been furious at being sacked, but Albus had been able to placate him by setting up a potion-making business for him. It had thankfully worked, but Albus was still miffed that he was forced into this position.

But the question remained; who was the child of the prophecy? From what Minerva told him, Hadrian Potter had been injured and was unwell as he tried to save his brother. So did that mean that the killing curse was meant for Alexander? There were too many possibilities for him to consider. Did Tom know who he tried to kill first all those years ago?

What should he do now? He pondered the question for a while. No, he would stick to the plan and test the twins with the traps that were already set. They were easy to get past, even for a first year. But it was the final confrontation he wanted to see. After that, he would find out which one was the prophesied child and guide him to his destiny. Hmm, how should he proceed? A confundus charm would work.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

June approached rapidly, bringing clear skies above Scotland. After the attack on the Potter twins in the Forbidden Forest, strict rules had been implemented about anyone going in there for anything. Even though it was banned, some students like the Weasley twins had still tried to explore the place, but this incident had scared them off. As June approached, the first year exams were soon upon their heads. Since Severus Snape was sacked, Madam Pomfrey was asked to take over the class until the end of term, which she was quite happy to do. Her revision scheme was quite beneficial and Rufus Scrimgeour would wonder later why the applicants for Aurors had gone up that year. Harry and Alex aced the exams without a problem, with Harry getting extra credit for Transfiguration and Alex for Potions and both of them for Charms.

"I can't wait to go home," said Neville as he yawned. "My room, my bed, my greenhouse. . ."

"Can't you think of anything other than sleep?" asked Hannah incredulously.

"Neville, not think about sleep? That's not possible," asked Harry with a smile.

"I think we must be dreaming," said Alex, laughing. "I remember when we were seven he slept for twenty-one hours straight!"

"Ah yes, I remember that," said Daphne, nodding.

"Wasn't that the time he said he was sleepy again and went back to bed?" asked Susan snickering.

"Well, you tend to be sleepy after you have slept for so long," said Neville defensively. "I needed to recover from the long nap I took."

"Only you, Nev. . ." said Harry, shaking his head in amusement.

Immediately after the exams, the Quidditch final was held, where they were facing Ravenclaw. Wanting to make up for the loss of points, Harry and Alex worked flawlessly to up the ante, until the score was 340-80.

"Look at that goal by Alex Potter," yelled Lee Jordan, as people screamed and applauded. "Damn, he's good. I wonder if he will surpass the legend of his father by the time he graduates Hogwarts and considering James Potter was one of the best chasers Hogwarts has seen, that is saying something. Roger Davies takes control of the Quaffle, he – wait, it looks like Harry Potter has spotted the snitch! Is it? Yes, it was a feint! What? No, it wasn't! He pulled back up and – he's diving again and - yes he's caught the snitch! GRYFFINDOR WINS 490-80; GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!"

Thunderous applause greeted the team as they landed on the ground, hugging each other. Oliver Wood was crying unashamedly while dancing around the pitch. He pulled a shocked Professor McGonagall into a hug and gave her a kiss, leaving her stunned as the crowd roared in laughter. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling in amusement as he passed the cup to Oliver Wood who passed it to the girls who passed it to the Weasley twins who finally passed it to the Potter twins. Harry and Alex grinned as they hoisted the cup high in the air. It had been their first year and they had already won the Quidditch Cup.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry winced again as he pressed his hand to his scar. It had been throbbing horribly throughout the past month. He had tried not to let it get to him as he had exams and the Quidditch final to prepare for, but now that he had nothing to focus on, the pain was becoming unbearable. It reduced at night as he had his brother next to him which kept the nightmares at bay, but that didn't help much in the mornings.

"Is it hurting again?" whispered Alex worriedly.

"Yes," said Harry.

Alex frowned and placed his hand on Harry's forehead like how he had seen their mother do before. Harry sighed as the pain receded.

"Do you think we should go home early?" asked Alex. "I'm sure dad can convince Professor McGonagall to let us leave."

"I think you're right," said Harry with a grimace. "Besides, we have nothing to do anyway. The pain is unbearable. If this continues, I think I'll be giving Beauxbatons or Ilvernmorny a call."

"That won't solve anything," said Alex shaking his head. "You have the pain even at home, so I doubt it has anything to do with Hogwarts. Don't worry, buddy. I'm sure mum will find a cure for it."

"I hope so," whispered Harry as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower. Just when they turned a corner, their eyes went blank. They stood still for a minute, just looking at the corridor ahead with their gaze unfocussed, until they both gasped.

"Alex, do you think _Voldemort_ might be behind the attack in the forest?" asked Harry fearfully.

"It's possible," said Alex. "Come on, let's warn McGonagall about it."

As they ran away, a person cursed under his breath and followed them. The boys might be independent, but they relied heavily on their parents for support and that tendency had transferred here. He forgot that they were eleven-year-old boys who were doted on by their parents all their lives.

"Professor McGonagall, do you have a moment?" asked Harry.

"Of course, Mr Potter, what can I do for you?" asked Minerva with a smile.

Alex waved his wand and put up a privacy ward. "Professor, we think the Philosopher's stone is in danger."

McGonagall's eyes went wide. "How do you know about that?" she asked sharply.

"It really wasn't that difficult to figure it out, Professor," said Harry with a shrug. "Not when the Headmaster publicly announced it. People were bound to figure it out."

"Good point," muttered Minerva, frowning.

"We think Voldemort might be in the castle," whispered Alex hurriedly. "We think he was the one who attacked us in the forest. Who else would need to drink unicorn blood, Professor? We thought he was dead, but what if he isn't? Professor Quirrell might be helping him; after all, the troll on Samhain was very convenient, wasn't it?"

"Professor Quirrell wasn't there with the rest of the staff that day," said Harry. "And from what he said in class, he has worked with trolls before. Shouldn't that help him in defeating it? I mean, you did it in a few seconds! If Voldemort gets his hand on the stone, we are all in trouble!"

"Thank you for informing me about this, boys," whispered a white faced Professor McGonagall. "I'll ensure that adequate measures are taken. I have to meet the rest of the senior staff now as Albus isn't here. Go to the tower and stay there. If he really is here, you two would be in more danger than before, clear? In fact, it is better if you return home. I'll come later and inform you about it."

"Yes, Professor," they chorused before leaving the room.

Minerva didn't waste any time. She walked out of her office towards the Charms classroom only to have someone point a wand to her and say, " _Obliviate_ "

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

" _Confundo_ "

Harry and Alex's eyes went blank again as the second confundus charm took effect and soon, their expression turned to horror.

"We can't leave it to the teachers," whispered Alex. "We need to do it ourselves! We can't take the chance!"

"I agree," whispered Harry. "We'll do it tonight."

Albus Dumbledore smiled. Really, how hard was it for the boys to want to be the heroes and go on a grand adventure? The test would work for now. He knew that nothing could be traced back to him; he really loved the Elder Wand. Even if someone was to blame, Quirrell will take the fall. Now all he had to do was wait so that he could arrive at the last moment.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

It was nearly midnight when the painting of the Fat Lady opened and nothing came out. The Grand Staircase moved and soon, the lightning charms on the forbidden corridor on the third floor were turned on to the minimum setting, providing a dim glow.

"What did your research say?" whispered Alex in Harry's ear.

"Music soothes the savage beast," whispered Harry. "I'm not sure why Quirrell took this long to figure it out. But then again, the book I took was from the Potter library. Maybe it isn't available in the Hogwarts library and no one studies about Cerberus in Care of Magical Creatures since they are so incredibly rare and while killing the creature would attract attention, I'm not sure why he didn't do it."

"Point," muttered Alex.

Alex flicked his wand to the door and it opened slowly. They went inside and saw that the giant thee-headed dog was sleep, with a harp playing in the background. Harry removed the cloak and stuffed it inside his mokeskin pouch around his neck. Alex pointed his wand at the dog and with a swish and flick, slowly levitated the Cerberus's hand away from the trap door. Harry flicked his wand and the trap door opened with a click. He peered into it to find darkness.

"I think we need to levitate ourselves inside," whispered Alex. "I don't want to get caught in some sort of trap."

Harry nodded and pointed the wand at himself and muttered a charm which their mother had taught them. It was a modified version of the standard levitation spell, but it wasn't taught in class; as she said, if you wanted to learn more magic, there was always a wonderful library one could study from. The Hogwarts library was open to the students as well as the public after all.

They lit their wands and levitated themselves down the trap door. When they saw a black mass below them, they frowned.

"What is it?" asked Alex.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like some kind of plant," said Harry.

Alex levitated himself down a bit and gently prodded the plant with his leg, only to be grabbed by a vine.

"It's grabbed me!" said Alex frantically. "It's devil's snare!"

" _Incendio!_ " shouted two voices at once.

Immediately, the two of them dropped as they cast the fire charm, but thankfully, there was an opening in the plant which was caused by the fire which made them pass.

Once they landed on the floor, they got up and moved to the next corridor.

"Do you hear that?" whispered Harry. "It sounds like wings."

The twins looked at the several hundred keys which were flying in the air. They put on the invisibility cloak back on and crossed the room, but the keys didn't attack.

"Do you think we can blast the door open?" whispered Alex.

"No, that would cause too much noise as we don't know what's there on the other side," said Harry. "I have a better idea."

He tried to loosen the hinges to remove the door, but to his disappointment, the door remained.

"Well, it was worth a shot," said Harry.

"Hmm, I never knew such minute details existed in magical architecture," said Alex. "Interesting"

They looked at each other and slowly, identical looking smirks formed on their faces. They pointed the wands at the keys and said, " _Immobulus_ "

The keys all froze. Harry looked at the door handle again and said, "Accio silver key!"

The said key zoomed from above and Alex caught with expertly. He calmly unlocked the door and the boys went inside, only to be standing in the middle of a chess board.

"There's no way am I playing this game," said Harry flatly as Alex laughed.

"Don't want to lose again, Harrykins?" asked Alex, grinning.

"I like winning, thank you very much."

Alex laughed. "I think silencing charm would do, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh yeah," said Harry. After Alex cast a Muffliato spell at the door leading away from the chessboard, Harry pointed his wand at the chess pieces and said, "Get ready to cast that shield."

"Roger"

Harry smiled. "I prefer, aye Captain," he said amused.

"I'm tired of playing that game, _Captain;_ though only in your dreams will it come true. I can just see it now; the Adventures of Unspeakable Harry Potter, Captain of Team Alpha," said Alex with a grin.

"You know it," said Harry. " _Bombarda Maxima!_ "

" _Protego!_ "

Just as a white beam of light impacted the chess pieces, an invisible shield materialised in front of them, protecting them from the flying debris. With a wave of his wand, Alex dispelled the shield and they moved on.

"Ah, that reeks," said Harry, crinkling his nose.

"Cloak," said Alex as he wrapped it around them both. They moved out of the room with the dead troll.

"At least we know now that his stutter is probably fake," said Harry.

"And that he can actually take care of a troll," said Alex.

When they reached the next door, they found themselves in front of a table with several bottles when fire erupted around them. They looked at the parchment and snorted.

"How ridiculous," scoffed Alex. "Is it any wonder Quirrell got through?"

"Maybe Snape really is insane?" suggested Harry.

Alex snorted and waved his wand over the bottles. Being so interested in potions from a young age, he had watched their mother prepare too many potions to count, so this was a breeze. He really didn't understand the point of the stupid puzzle. After all, when there was a trap set like this, wouldn't someone deceive you with the puzzle, making you drink the poison instead? It was highly stupid and illogical to rely on the puzzle and not use magical means of detection.

"Got it," he said. "These three are poison and these two are wine."

"Okay, I'm still not comfortable with elementary conjuration, so don't blame me if I get it wrong," said Harry.

"Hey, better you than me," said Alex with a shrug. "Transfiguration is your thing, not mine. What did dad teach you?"

"He taught me till frogs, so here goes," said Harry. He waved his wand and gave it a sharp dap at the end and a frog materialised in front of them and gave a croak.

"Neat," said Alex, impressed.

"Why thank you brother dear," said Harry, quite proud of his Transfiguration skills.

Alex poured the contents of the potion down the frog's throat and threw it into the fire. The frog croaked and passed through without a problem and landed on the floor.

"Piece of cake," said Alex smugly. He pointed his wand at the bottle and the potion refilled itself. He drank it and gave it to Harry who drank it too as they walked through the fire.

"Remind me to learn the Flame-Freezing Charm this summer," said Harry, when he clutched his scar in pain.

"Harry!" said Alex in worry. "What happened?"

"Scar," muttered Harry. "Hold on, I need to reinforce my Occlumency shields."

"Good idea," said Alex as he too closed his eyes. They stayed there for five minutes, meditating and when they finally opened their eyes, the confusion was evident in their eyes.

"Harry, didn't we go to McGonagall to inform her about this?" asked Alex nervously.

Harry gulped. "She told us to stay in the tower."

They looked at each other, as they realised what had happened.

"What do we do?" asked Alex fearfully.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "Do we go in? We've come this long. We're already involved so it doesn't matter anyway."

Alex took a deep breath and nodded. They gripped their wand tightly and opened the door. They walked forward in confusion, only to be suddenly disarmed and bound by ropes.

They turned and saw Quirrell laughing. "Oh, this is something I never expected," said Quirrell, a glint in his eye. "I expected a teacher to come to stop me; instead I have two twitchy moppets. Oh, how Hogwarts has fallen. What do they teach here nowadays? But considering what I have seen for the past two years, I'm really not surprised."

Quirrell levitated the boys near the front steps of the downward inclined chamber. Harry and Alex looked at a large mirror in confusion.

"I guess it helps that you two are here now," said Quirrell with an evil smirk on his face. "My attempt to kill you both at the Quidditch match failed. I nearly got the elder brat and I was going to use the bludgers to kill the younger brat, but your bastard of a father intervened. Your parents have this nasty habit of poking their noses into other people's business, don't they? The troll on Samhain failed to kill you both as well. It would have worked if not for McGonagall, but then again, I didn't expect you two to be as well trained as you are."

Harry and Alex's eyes flashed in anger at the insult to their parents, but since they were gagged, they couldn't do much.

Quirrell turned his attention back to the mirror. "Trust the old fool to do something like this," he muttered. "How do I get the stone from the mirror? I can't destroy it; neither can I access the stone myself."

" _Use the boys,_ " said a high, cold voice.

"Come here, Potter," said Quirrell. With a flick of his wand, the ropes around Alex disappeared, but without their wands, they were defenceless. They were both terrified when they heard the cold voice and were shaking badly.

"Look at the mirror and tell me what you see," said Quirrell.

Alex swallowed and looked at the mirror. He saw himself in the reflection, but new people appeared all around him. A person identical to himself appeared next to him, beaming, without a scar on his forehead. James and Lily Potter were standing behind them. Belladonna and Camellia were standing on either side of Alex and Harry, beaming back at him. He could see his friends as well. He could see the Blacks, the Bones, the Greengrasses, the Longbottoms, all very happily looking back at him.

The mirror-Harry winked at him and took out a blood red stone and gave it to the mirror-Alex and smirked. Mirror-Alex grinned back at his brother and put the stone into his pocket – just as Alex himself felt a weight drop into his pocket.

"What do you see, Potter?" snapped Quirrell.

Alex swallowed and reinforced his Occlumency shields. Harry, on the other hand, was wandlessly trying to summon his wand which was on the ground behind him. He had to help his brother!

"I-I won the International Potion-making Championship while Harry won the Duelling Championship," said Alex, breathing heavily. "Our parents are very happy with our achievements."

" _Pitiful Occlumency barriers won't stop me, boy,_ " said the high, cold voice again. " _Impressive as they are for your age, I can tell that you are lying!_ "

"Tell the truth!" yelled Quirrell. " _Crucio!_ "

Harry was frantically trying to summon his wand as tears flowed down his cheeks, not able to listen to the screams of his younger twin.

"Go to hell," snarled Alex, shaking horribly.

"Really?" said Quirrell, amused. "Well, let's see if this is motivation enough for you. _Crucio!_ "

Harry screamed like he never screamed before. His very nerves were on fire! He felt as if he was being stabbed by a thousand red hot knives! He was going to die! He knew it! But just as he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the pain stopped.

"I know how much you two care about each other," said Quirrell, smirking at them. "It would be much more painful to make you watch the other being tortured. Oh, I feel something in my heart. Such a strong bond as siblings, my oh my. It almost makes me melt; almost."

Harry was twitching uncontrollably, though he could feel the ropes binding him to have loosened considerably. Alex was in a vulnerable position; if he tried to take his wand, he would be killed first. That meant that Harry was the one who had to get his wand first.

" _Let me speak to them, face to face,_ " said the cold voice again.

"M-Master, you are not strong enough," said Quirrell, fearfully.

" _I have strength enough for this,_ " said the voice.

Alex crawled back to his brother, quickly removing the gag and the ropes. But they were too shocked to move. They watched as Quirrell removed his turban to reveal a face at the back of Quirrell's head. The face was pale; chalk-white. It was like a snake with red eyes with slits for pupils and slits for nostrils.

"Voldemort," whispered Harry as Alex clung to him tighter.

"Hadrian and Alexander Potter," breathed Voldemort. "How nice to see you again; don't you remember me?"

Harry started shaking. This was what haunted his nightmares for the last ten years. The flash of green light was the killing curse; the man laughing was Voldemort.

"See what I have become?" said Voldemort. "Mere shadow and vapour. I came to kill you to fulfil the terms of the prophecy, but I was tricked by your parents. I spared your mother, but when I turned to face you; you, Hadrian Potter, stood with defiance in your eyes as you tried to save your brother. The curse hit you and bounced back to me, destroying my body. But that doesn't matter. It matters not what happened that night as both of you are equally dangerous to me from what I have seen this past year and I shall not rest until both of you are dead. Now, Alexander Potter . . . why don't you hand me that stone in your pocket?"

With a sudden surge of emotion, Harry summoned his wand to his hand and fired a curse at Quirrell, giving Alex time to find his wand. Quirrell shielded against it, but fired a Cruciatus Curse, making Harry scream and wither in pain. Knowing there was only one alternative and using the distraction to this advantage, Alex fired a silent blasting curse at the mirror, hoping that the special mirror would produce a magical explosion.

The mirror exploded, but Alex was able to conjure a shield to protect him and his brother from most of the debris. Alex stood slowly and limped to his brother, who was still twitching from the after effects of the curse. They turned and saw the mangled pieces of Quirrell's body, filled with shards. A mist formed above Quirrell and stared at the twin boys. With a snarl, the mist passed through both boys, absorbing their magical reserves and fled from the castle. Alex screamed in pain, but Harry was screaming louder as blood poured out of his scar. They both fell on the floor unconscious.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry moaned as he tried to open his eyes. His eyelids were too heavy and his body felt like it was on fire. He felt a cool hand stroke his face and he melted into the touch, subconsciously recognising it. With great difficulty, he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman with red hair and green eyes.

"Mum?" he croaked.

Lily's eyes were bloodshot. She looked at him and leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Oh, Harry. What did you two do now?"

Harry turned to the left and saw his brother resting in a bed next to his own, but was wide awake.

"Glad you could join us, brother dear," said Alex, grinning slightly.

Harry tried to grin back but coughed violently.

"Oh dear," said Madam Pomfrey, rushing towards him. "Here you go, Potter. Drink up."

Harry drank the potion and he felt better, though the pain from his body didn't reduce.

"Is there anything for the pain?" he asked hopefully.

Lily and Madam Pomfrey looked at each other and grimaced. "I'm sorry, Harry," said Lily. "But there is no potion that can cure the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse. That's why it's an unforgivable."

"Oh well," said Harry, trying to sit up. "One more potion for Alex to invent one day."

Alex just chuckled lightly.

"Your father hasn't taken this well," said Lily morosely. "Not well at all. He blames himself for what happened."

"But it's not his fault," said Alex, as he coughed. "Mum, we didn't go there of our own free will!"

"What do you mean, Alex?" said a voice.

They all turned and Lily sighed in relief as she saw her.

Amelia Black entered the Hospital Wing and sat down on the bed next to Alex. "How are you two feeling?" she asked softly.

"We're fine, I guess," said Harry with a shrug. "As for what he meant, we were probably confunded. We didn't realise it until the last stage where we reinforced our Occlumency shields. We had told Professor McGonagall about it and she told us to go back to Gryffindor Tower. She said that it was better if we go home instead of stay at school due to the danger."

"She didn't tell me that!" said Lily.

Amelia took out a dicta quill and said, "Boys, I want you to tell me everything that happened."

"How about we show you instead?" said Alex.

"Yes, that's a good idea," said a gruff voice. "I want to see it too"

Harry and Alex turned and their eyes went wide. Their father was a mess; he had shadows under his eyes and looked weak and disgruntled.

"Oh, boys," he whispered, hugging them as he came forward. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"Don't say that!" said Harry, wincing as the pain came back. "It wasn't your fault."

By this time, Amelia had asked for her elf to get her Pensieve. "Alex, let's see it."

With a nod, Alex pointed his wand to his temple and slowly removed the memory. He deposited it in the Penseive and the three adults dipped their hands into it and disappeared.

Harry cast a privacy ward around them, not wanting to be overheard again.

"Thank you," said Alex softly.

"What for?" asked Harry in surprise.

"For saving me"

Harry laughed. "You were the one who saved me. I was too busy screaming my head off."

"Not for tonight," said Alex, shaking his head. "I meant that night ten years ago."

"Oh, come on Alex!" said Harry exasperated. "You don't seriously believe I did something that night, do you?"

Alex shrugged. "Maybe you did," he said quietly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well then, let's call it even. I _hypothetically_ saved your arse and you _actually_ saved mine. Though it is completely ludicrous; how could a one year old child deflect a killing curse? We're not obligated to listen to Voldemort. He probably lied through his teeth. We don't ever mention that again, deal?"

"Deal," said Alex with a smile, as the last vestiges of insecurity disappeared. He thought the revelation would change things between them, but it didn't. It wouldn't. They wouldn't allow it. They loved each other too much for anything to come between the brothers; as their father said, family above all.

"I don't understand who confunded us," said Harry in confusion.

"Me too," said Alex with a frown. "From what we know, it certainly wasn't Quirrell."

"We didn't stand a chance, Alex," whispered Harry, looking out of the window. "Voldemort, even if he was only possessing Quirrell, was so powerful. If not for luck, we would have been killed."

"I know," said Alex quietly. "I always thought we were exceptional for our age, but compared to him. . ."

"He said that he would come after us one day," said Harry, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"What is this about a prophecy?" asked Alex in confusion. Harry shook his head, saying that he didn't know about that either. They waited for twenty minutes, just staring out of the window, lost in thought. Finally, the three adults emerged from the Pensieve.

All three of them were white as a sheet. They all took a seat and took deep breaths to calm themselves.

"Damn," whispered Amelia. "He's still alive."

"No one will believe it, even with the Pensieve memory," said James, shaking his head. "We have an advantage now. We know that Voldemort is still alive and if we find out how we can eliminate the threat. Right now, the former Death Eaters are blissfully unaware of what is going on. What if they were to realise that their Master isn't dead as they believe?"

"We could have a new war on our hands," said Amelia, shaking her head. "You're right, James. It is better to put the whole blame on Quirrell and not mention Voldemort's involvement. Fudge is a weak minded fool; he will do exactly what Malfoy and his ilk tell him to do. This is the best we can do for now."

Lily had gone pale as she started at Harry's scar. _No, it couldn't be. Not something so terrible and deadly . . . not her baby. . ._

"Mum?" asked Harry with worry. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Harry," said Lily with a small smile, trying to hide her tears. _Horcrux . . ._

"Someone sent you there on purpose," said James flatly. "And it wasn't Quirrell."

"I think Minerva has been obliviated," said Lily. "She doesn't remember telling the boys to return to the tower."

Amelia frowned. "I'll investigate it."

"What about the stone?" asked Alex suddenly. "It was in my pocket!"

Lily frowned. "There was nothing in your pocket when you came here, Alex. Though Dumbledore might have taken it."

"Such a device shouldn't have been brought here in the first place," grumbled Amelia. "But there is nothing I can do. Dumbledore was quite within his powers to keep any valuable item under heavy wards; the laws permit it."

James nodded grimly. After all, there were massive vaults under Potter Manor as well, filled with treasures the family had ah, _acquired_ over the centuries. Most people didn't keep them at home for security reasons, but if you were confident about it, why not?

"I'll let you know of any developments," said Amelia, getting up. After hugging the boys, she left, closing the door behind her.

James sighed, dropped his head down on Alex's bed.

"Dad, don't feel bad," whispered Alex, lifting James' head with his hand. "We were tricked into going there. We're fine now."

"He's right," said Harry, grinning. "We'll be able to play Quidditch with you in no time; you'll see! And you're going down! Our teamwork has improved since last summer."

James and Lily chuckled lightly. Once they made the boys take the dreamless sleep potion, their faces and eyes hardened.

"Albus?" said Lily, her eyebrows raised.

James nodded with a scowl. They made their way to Dumbledore's office and said the password. They walked up and knocked on the door and heard him say, "Come in"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** I have read that a confundus charm isn't that hard to throw off, especially if you have training in Occlumency. Here, the original confunudus was quite strong, which was why Harry suggested that they go to the next room rather than go back. Even with Occlumency, Dumbledore's charms were quite powerful. They were only able to overcome the second confundus charm.

As for Lily figuring out that Harry's scar is a Horcrux, she knows now that Voldemort is alive. Very little is known about Horcruxes, which was why she went abroad to learn about them. Now that she has guessed what is it, she will run tests and try to find a way to remove it. The Unspeakables aren't involved in Harry's scar. What do you think they would do if they realised that Harry had a piece of Voldemort's soul in his head? It would be disastrous.


	8. Scar Identified

Chapter 8

Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. It had all started at midnight when the Potter twins had behaved exactly as he had predicted (they would, as he had confunded them). He had placed monitoring charms at different places of the obstacle course so that he could monitor them. Sitting in his office, he was quite happy and elated by the various methods the brothers used to get over the traps. For a minute, he felt mournful as he and Aberforth were like that once too. Okay, maybe not that close. The bond between people like the Weasley twins, James and Sirius, and the Potter twins were on a whole different level and he doubted if he and Aberforth could ever have been that close, even without the disaster with Ariana and Gellert.

He was surprised that the boys were able to overcome the Confundus charm by using Occlumency. But he wasn't too surprised; the Ancient Houses made it a priority to make their children learn the difficult art. The Potters and Blacks were especially obsessed with it. From what he had gathered all those years ago, when James and Lily had started dating in the middle of their sixth year, James had started teaching Lily Occlumency. At the time, she wasn't as good as the rest, but with time and practice, her shields had grown strong.

Albus had listened to what was going on after Severus' trap and to his shock, all his monitoring charms stopped working! He cursed himself. Nothing would get past Voldemort as the man would surely have instructed Quirrell to sweep the room for any traps. He waited, wondering if he should intervene. He then paused and waited for some time and finally decided to check up on them. After all, he had to save them at the lost moment. He was confident the boys would be safe of course, but it was better safe than sorry. He quickly made his way to the place by Fawkes phoenix flashing him there, but to his shock, the place looked like a war-zone! The Mirror of Erised was destroyed, and the resultant magical explosion had killed Quirrell. Frantic, he went to check on the boys and breathed a sigh of relief. They were alive, but very weak, obviously tortured by the Cruciatus Curse; the elder Potter even more so. He was confused as to why the scar on Hadrian Potter was bleeding, so he scanned the boys as there was no one to stop him. What he found was something he couldn't believe!

Alexander had a magical scar, but so did Hadrian! Did that mean that both children were marked? But the prophecy mentioned that only one child could defeat Voldemort. Albus paused. Was this the 'power the Dark Lord knows not?' He smiled in joy! Finally, he could lead the boys to their destiny! He performed more scans on Harry as there was something peculiar about his scar. His eyes widened as he spent the next ten minutes muttering in different languages, verifying his initial observation.

Harry's scar was a Horcrux! Voldemort must have split his soul! He had suspected about it of course, but it disgusted him to know that Tom had descended to such a level. There were probably more. Or were there? Was this the only one? He had to verify. His heart ached as he levitated the boys out of the place. Harry Potter had to die and Voldemort had to kill the boy himself. That was the only way Voldemort could be killed for good. While he felt sorry for the boy, he knew that it was for the greater good. After all, what was one life as compared the lives of a hundred thousand? His plan had changed. Clearly, both boys were involved. It didn't matter who the child of the prophecy was; Harry had to die and Alex had to kill Voldemort after his brother's death. He sighed. Being the wise man was always a burden, but his mind was calculating on how he was going to achieve this. He would have to work from the shadows. He wondered if he should search for any other means of destroying the Horcurx but shook his head. He was a very busy man and he didn't have time for that. Yes, he would ensure that Harry Potter would die like a martyr; the least he could do was to make sure the boy's name was remembered after his death.

The charm on his door alerted him to a presence outside his office. He cleared his throat and said, "Come in"

The door opened and James and Lily Potter entered, with identical blank expressions on their faces. Albus was sad that he had not been able to mend his relationship with his two favourite students. No one looked at the larger picture! He knew that the Lord and Lady Potter would never allow their son to take on the role of a martyr, but it was essential! If Voldemort had to be defeated, the twins each had to undertake their respective paths he set out for them. He would have to see how he could guide the boys without their parents becoming suspicious, but that would be hard to do. The twins were clearly very close to their parents and practically worshipped the ground James and Lily walked on, according to Severus and Minerva.

"Ah, James, Lily," said Albus, his eyes twinkling. "Please, come in."

James nodded curtly and guided his wife to the plush chairs in front of the Headmaster.

"They were placed under the Cruciatus Curse, Albus," said Lily quietly, though her eyes were burning with anger.

Albus turned mournful. "I'm sorry, Lily," he said softly. "I never expected Quirrell to do something like this. I was only doing my best to protect the stone after the attempted theft at Gringotts. It was as a favour to Nicholas and Perenell."

"Except it wasn't the real stone," said James quietly.

"Excuse me?" asked Albus, as he paled slightly.

"The boys suspected the stone was here before the Yule holidays," continued James. "Alex raised an interesting point; why would the Flamels give their most prized possession to someone who they consider a child? You are five hundred and fifty years younger than them and were their apprentice. Why would they give you the stone? I sent them a letter soon after, but I wasn't able to get past their anti-mail ward, but we persevered," _Lily_ _used parselmagic "_ and what did we find? They said that they hadn't parted with any possession of theirs. I am inclined to believe their word over yours, Albus. What is this about?"

"I was under the impression that this was the real stone," said Albus, acting as though he was shocked, while mentally cursing himself.

" _Cut the crap, Albus_ ," said Lily angrily, as her aura flared. "We saw the Pensieve memory. It was a cleverly designed obstacle course for first-year students. The Cerberus? You can make it sleep by playing it music. Getting past the devil's snare was ridiculous. The charmed keys were nice to look at, but while the boys didn't use the brooms, we certainly recognised why they were there. Alex and Harry are outstanding Quidditch players, so it was natural to have something like that. A chess set? Not really sure why that was there, but Alex is quite good at it. The troll was knocked out already and the Potions challenge was a joke considering Alex's talent in Potions and Harry's in Transfiguration. And the last trap; really, Albus? The Mirror of Erised? That mirror was locked away for a reason," she hissed.

"Ah, so the rumours are true," said Albus, stroking his beard. "You really are an Unspeakable."

"That is neither here nor there," said James coldly. "Why did you want to test our children? What was your motive? _This_ is the reason we cut off all contact with you. First you try to take our boys and give them to that horse faced bitch and her bigoted husband; then you paint a target on Sirius, claiming that he was the Secret Keeper; then you wanted to proclaim that one of our sons was a saviour, bringing unwanted attention; then you vouch for Snape and hire him here as a teacher and now _this!_ "

"We're pulling our children from Hogwarts, Albus," said Lily, as Dumbledore' eyes bulged in shock. "Our daughters won't be coming here either."

"Goodbye, Albus," said James, getting up. "I hope you understand now that our family is everything to us. You shouldn't have taken us lightly."

"James, Lily, I hope you know the consequences of your actions," said Albus, shaking his head. "Young Hadrian and Alexander have friends here. Surely you don't want them to leave everything behind and go to a new school?"

"If the alternative is death, then yes," said Lily coldly. She turned back and Albus could see the anger in her emerald green eyes. "The only reason you are still sitting on that chair is because we have no proof that you were behind it," said Lily with her teeth clenched. "But oh, do I want to snap your neck for what you did to my boys. Beware, Albus; I will go to any lengths necessary to protect my family. Stay away from us if you know what's good for you, otherwise, trust me, I will _destroy_ you."

With that, the Lord and Lady Potter exited the room.

Albus cursed under his breath. There was a reason James and Lily had been the top students in their time and it had nothing to do with exams. He had to do some damage control. He knew that this move would cripple his relationship with the Potters forever, but it was for the greater good. He only hoped that they would understand eventually. He took a pinch of floo power and vanished with a flash of green flames as he said, "Chief Warlock's Office, Ministry of Magic"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry sighed in contentment. _There surely is nothing like home,_ he thought, he relaxed in the outdoor hot tub in Potter Manor after finishing his morning workout. He idly chuckled to himself. _Grandpa Charlus and Grandma Dorea surely knew the meaning of luxury, didn't they?_

Alex came over, having just finished a long run around the grounds. He was pink in the face and was panting. _Ah, the hot tub, exactly what I need._ He quickly stripped and got into the water and sighed in contentment.

"This is life, isn't it?" said Harry with a smile.

"Most definitely," said Alex, as he let the potions in the water do their work.

It was the first week of the summer. After a few more days of being in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey had finally had enough with their antics and had banished them from the place (Harry and Alex had pranked her to no end; they were bored!). Their friends had been really scared about what had happened; especially the girls. Even thinking about the memory made Harry's face heat up as his penis became erect. Daphne had hugged the stuffing out of him and had given him a kiss on both cheeks. He had been quite embarrassed and Alex had smirked at him knowingly for days afterwards.

Thanks to their outstanding performance in Quidditch, Gryffindor had won the House Cup. People also knew that the twins had been attacked, but the information had been vague. That was until Aunt Amelia had called a press conference and had told that Professor Quirrell had tried to kill the boys and had died in the attempt. They didn't understand why Voldemort wasn't mentioned, but their parents had explained it to them later. They decided to leave that part to their parents and focus on enjoying their summer.

"So, what do you want to do this summer?" asked Harry.

Alex shrugged. "Go to the Amusement Park, watch a lot of Quidditch matches; did I ever tell you how much I love the owner's suite? Anyway, yeah, Quidditch, prank everyone to space and back; and of course, learn more potions and spells."

Harry chuckled as he opened his eyes. "I can't wait to learn those parseltongue spells! That's so cool! I can use those in a duel and no would even know what spells I'm using!"

"They can also be used for creating new and different potions," said Alex excitedly. "It's a shame that parseltongue is so feared in Europe. Think about the possibilities!"

After enjoying the water for some time, they stepped out, only to gasp in horror. Harry looked down at his nude body only to see that his skin was now purple in colour. Alex, on the other hand, was bright orange.

"How could you?" they shouted at each other at the same time. "My own brother!"

"Wait, what?" they chorused, clearly confused.

"You didn't do this?" asked Harry in surprise.

"Uh uh," said Alex, shaking his head. "I've already done this and you know I don't repeat pranks."

Suddenly, an envelope floated in front of them. The flap opened and they could hear the voice of their father as he said, "Welcome home, boys. The prank war begins! Mwhahahaha!"

Harry grinned evilly and saw that his brother was having similar thoughts running through his mind.

"He wants a war?" said Alex, with a vicious smirk on his face.

"Then we'll give him one," said Harry.

"Allies?"

"Not Bella and Camellia," said Harry, shaking his head. "They'll never leave dad's side."

"We have Padfoot," said Alex with a smirk.

"Hmm, maybe we can convince mum to finally help us out," mused Harry.

"Oh, I'm so glad we're back home," said Alex as he grabbed a towel.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"You want to do what?" asked Alex in shock.

"Transfer you from Hogwarts," said James, showing them the sheet of parchment.

They were in the Lord's study at Potter Manor. Harry and Alex were shocked to say the least.

"Dad, you're not serious, are you?" asked Harry.

"I assure you I am quite serious about this," said James firmly. "You both have been in more danger at Hogwarts the past year than Aurors are during field assignments! It is ridiculous! Dumbledore played you like a fiddle and you fell into his trap. It was only after you adjusted your mental shields were you able to snap out of it. You're only twelve-year-old boys. I'm not having you go back there and injure yourselves fatally."

"But dad," said Alex hurriedly. "Just because something like that happened last year doesn't mean it will happen again. We will be careful-"

"Which was what you said after the forest incident," said James flatly. "It's not that you are not careful; it is that there are too many people who wish you harm and as long as I am alive, I won't let that happen. So, decide where you want to go – Beauxbatons or Ilvermorney? I would prefer that you don't go to Durmstrang."

Harry and Alex stared at their father. "Why are you acting like this?" asked Harry in shock. He didn't want to leave Hogwarts. He would miss his friends – Neville, Susan, Hannah, _Daphne_ . . .

James sighed as he got up from his chair and took a swing of a glass of firewhisky which was placed on the table.

"I don't think I would be able to live with myself if something happened to you both," he said softly as tears pooled in his eyes. "You and your sisters are the light of my life. Can't you understand that I'm only trying to protect you?"

Alex and Harry looked at each other and got up to give their father a tight hug. "Dad, please, hear us out," said Harry softly. "We have friends here we don't want to leave. You yourself said that Hogwarts is where you make political connections that define your political career later on. We're both Heirs of Noble families; how can we _not_ go to Hogwarts?"

"You said that Dumbledore might try something," said Alex. "We understand that. But we'll do our best to be careful. Please, dad? Don't pull us out."

James looked at the concerned expressions on his sons' faces and sighed. "Can we at least still consider it? Let's take time and discuss it at length. If we all feel Hogwarts is still the best option, I won't pull you out. But you both must have an open mind about this, Okay?"

The boys sighed in relief and hugged their father. "Thanks, dad," they chorused.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Lord James Potter mentally frowned as he took his seat on the Wizengamot. There were whispers that a major legislation was to be introduced by the Light faction today, but none of his spies got any information. Cornelius Fudge himself was being rather tight-lipped about it.

"Any luck?" he whispered as Lord Cyrus Greengrass sat next to him.

"None of my informants could find anything," he sighed. "But what they did find was that Dumbledore is involved."

Lord Frank Longbottom and Lord Alfred Bones also came up and occupied their seats, with confusion quite evident on their faces.

"Where's Sirius?" asked Frank.

"Not sure," said James with a frown. The members slowly ascended to their seats, whispering. Minister Fudge and Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore entered the chamber and took their seats, talking to each other. Finally, Lord Sirius and Lady Amelia Black entered the chamber together, both having furious expressions on their faces. Amelia marched to her seat next to the Chief Warlock, signifying her post as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as Sirius took his seat as Lord Black, next to James.

"You're not going to like this session," snarled Sirius.

James simply raised his eyebrows. He wasn't shocked that Sirius had found out about the new piece of legislature; the Blacks were well known for their spy network after all.

"Wizengamot being called into session on the 12th of July, 1992," boomed Dumbledore. "Members of the Wizengamot, we have a new legislation that was brought to my notice recently. I have gone through it and Minister Fudge too believes that this is a decision that would benefit the country well in the coming years. The new bill is being presented before this body by Mr Elphias Doge, Special Advisor to the Wizengamot."

Mr Doge, an old and very good friend of Albus Dumbledore got up and looked around. James leaned back, crossed his legs and rubbed his chin with his fingers, clearly curious what was going on. According to Sirius, he wasn't going to like it.

"Lords and Ladies, members of the Wizengamot," said Doge, his wheezy voice automatically magically enhanced. "The Wizengamot is the official seat of the government of Magical Britain and Ireland. It is comprised of Most Ancient and Noble Houses, Ancient and Noble Houses, Noble Houses, Heads of Ministry Departments, holders of Orders of Merlin, elder and youth representatives, special advisors and elected representatives. We have always prided ourselves in doing what is right and not what is easy." James mentally snorted at this; letting all those Death Eaters go was the epitome of easy. _Get to the point_. "We are also the representatives of the people of Magical Britain. The common witches and wizards depend on us to make laws that are beneficial for the country as a whole. Therefore, I believe that in order to uphold the great trust the people of Magical Britain have placed in us, we must ensure that the people who take their place in the Wizengamot are capable of leading the country. It is for that reason, that I introduce this bill which complies with the norms of succession to the Wizengamot."

"I believe you all have received a copy of the bill," said Dumbledore, much to the shock of James, Cyrus, Frank and Alfred, though Sirius was openly scowling.

"Don't bother," muttered Sirius to James, who was about to open his mouth. "The owls were sent to us; we just never received them in time."

"I have made a few improvements to the bill," said Lord Malfoy smoothly. "I believe my enhancements have reached you, Chief Warlock?"

"Of course, Lord Malfoy," said Dumbledore calmly. As much as he didn't want to work with Lucius, it couldn't be helped. He needed the support of both the light and dark factions if he had to counter the grey.

"Chief Warlock Dumbledore, if I may?" said Sirius, standing up.

"The chair recognises Lord Sirius Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black"

"Honoured members of the Wizengamot," said Sirius. "I have to express my disapproval of this bill. While Mr Doge's intentions are sound, the way it is being executed is not. Hogwarts School isn't the only magical school in the world. There are schools in every country and we do have British citizens who choose to go abroad for their education. Why is that those who are not educated at Hogwarts cannot take on their responsibilities as a member of the Wizengamot?"

James' eyes went wide.

 _FLASHBACK_

 _"_ _We're pulling our children from Hogwarts, Albus," said Lily, as Dumbledore's eyes bulged in shock. "Our daughters won't be coming here either."_

 _END FLASHBACK_

"It's not a question of education, Lord Black," said Minister Fudge. "As you know, many witches and wizards do go abroad for higher education. But this is done so that the members of the Wizengamot know the inner working of Magical Britain. How would one lead the country if they had not been here growing up?"

"Well said, Minister Fudge," said another member of the Light faction. James gritted his teeth. Without reading the text of the bill, he couldn't make any valid points. He didn't know what was going on and apparently, neither did his friends.

The debate carried on for another fifteen minutes. But before James could obtain a copy of the text, Dumbledore said, "I think everything is in order. Let us take a vote."

"Members of the Wizengamot," said James standing up. "I suggest that we table any emergency bill until we can determine if compulsory attendance at Hogwarts is the right course of action."

"I don't think that is necessary, Lord Potter," said Lucius. "I believe the Wizengamot has decided on what they feel is right."

"VOTE NOW! VOTE NOW!"

James sat back down, his face expressionless, but his hazel eyes were burning with righteous anger.

"Let us call for a vote," said Dumbledore. "All those in favour of the bill, please raise your wands."

More than two-thirds of the Wizengamot lit their wands and James knew that they had lost. The other factions had achieved fifty per cent.

"All those not in favour of the bill, please raise your wands."

James pointed his wand in the air as he activated the Lumos charm; so did Sirius, Cyrus, Frank, Alfred and several of their allies.

"The votes have been taken," said Dumbledore. "The Wizengamot Accession Bill passes by a majority."

An employee of the Wizengamot brought a sheet of parchment, no doubt which makes the bill a law. Albus Dumbledore smiled happily as he signed it.

"This session hereby comes to a close," said Dumbledore as he banged his gavel.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Lily, Harry, Alex, Bella and Camellia Potter watched with worried expressions on their faces as James executed dangerous flying manoeuvres in the sky. It had been a long time since they had seen him this angry.

"Mum, is dad going to be alright?" asked Bella nervously.

"I don't know, Bella," said Lily, worriedly. _What happened at the Wizengamot?_

Finally, James landed on the ground, his anger placated somewhat. He walked over to his wife and handed her a booklet.

"Read the new law that has been enacted by the Wizengamot," snarled James.

Lily simply raised her eyebrows as she opened the booklet. She read it and pursed her lips. Knowing why her husband was upset, she grabbed his hand and led him inside and gave him a glass of firewhisky which he drowned in one gulp.

"How did this pass through?" asked Lily sharply. "Surely you could have mounted a good offensive."

"Normally, yes," said James angrily. "But Albus tricked us. The booklet you are holding is the draft copy of the bill. It was sent to all the members, yes, but it was sent quite late to us all. I didn't even know what the meeting was about. Sirius and Amelia found out about it, but both hadn't read the text either. We tried, but we were totally caught off guard! Both Dumbledore and Malfoy were against us so we didn't stand a chance!"

"I smell gold behind this," said Lily with a frown.

James laughed. "Of course they bribed several people, Lils! And a majority of them receiving the bribes were the Heads of Ancient Houses. The vote was taken in fifteen minutes! Can you believe that? Fifteen minutes! Any new bill that is introduced takes _weeks_ to implement and yet this was passed in a blink of an eye. This is clearly Albus' brainchild; I can just smell it. Don't you remember us telling him that we'll pull Alex and Harry out of Hogwarts? What did he say? 'I would advise against doing that'; now look what he has done! The law is biased too."

Lily looked at the draft legislation and her eyes narrowed. "This doesn't apply to elected representatives or any other," she said quietly. "It only applies to the Ancient Houses."

"Ancient, not Noble," said James with a smirk. "See what dear Lucius did there? He could gladly send his son to Durmstrang and not face any problem with this law, but for the Most Ancient and Ancient Houses, we have to compulsorily send our children to Hogwarts in order for them to claim their Wizengamot seats when they come of age."

"You could get the law repealed," said Lily with a frown. "But we would still have to wait for six months before we can attempt it or need seventy-five per cent votes."

"In other words, our children don't have a choice," said James, rubbing his face with his hands. "They have to go to Hogwarts; we can't pull them out."

Just outside Lily's study, two children were standing and listening to what was going on. Once their parents finished their conversation, Alex cast a silencing charm around them.

"I guess this is it," said Harry. "We are still going to Hogwarts. I'm quite happy about that, but -"

"But I don't like being forced to go there; good point," finished Alex with a frown.

"This means that Neville, Susan and Daphne can't ever withdraw too," said Harry.

"Why is Dumbledore so interested in us?" said Alex. "Do you think we should ask them about the prophecy?"

Just then, they heard their parents resume talking, so Harry shushed him as they listened.

"We'll just have to ensure they are safe, James," said Lily. "They'll listen; they have a good head on their shoulders."

"I don't doubt them, Lily, not in the least," said James. "But that doesn't stop me from being worried about them. I'm sorry I couldn't talk to you last night. What did you want to talk about?"

When Lily didn't answer, James went over to her and pulled her into a hug. "What's wrong, love?"

"I know what Harry's scar is," she whispered, making Harry and Alex look at each other in surprise.

"What? You do?" asked James in shock. "What is it? Can anything be done about it?"

Lily couldn't take it anymore as she started crying inconsolably, as James wondered what was going on. Surely it wouldn't be that bad, would it?

"Lily, Lily, please calm down," said James, rubbing circles on her back. Alex and Harry wondered what was going on.

Lily swallowed and said, "When I was in Egypt, my instructor explained to me about the horrifying rituals the ancient magical Pharaohs did to secure their immortality. They were quite vague, so I couldn't find more information about it. When I travelled to Greece, I found more on the subject in the black market of Athens. Do you know what a Horcrux is?"

"No, what is it?" asked James, breathing hard.

"It is a process where a witch or wizard splits their soul," said Lily shakily, eliciting a gasp from her husband. "A soul is meant to be whole and never split; doing so goes against the fundamental laws of magic; it is a violation. When a person deliberately commits murder with the intent of killing for his own gain, his soul splits; normally, the soul is put back together automatically by the person's magical core over the span of a few months to a few years if he feels bad for what he had done. But when the soul is split and you remove it, to encase it in another vessel, you create a Horcrux. This was created by the Ancient Greek Dark Wizard Herpo, the foul. He is the reason parselmouths are so feared in Europe. So theoretically, if a piece of the soul is encased in something else, one cannot die even if, say, he is hit by the Killing Curse. Sounds familiar?"

James inhaled sharply. "Y-You're saying Voldemort created a Horcrux?"

"More than one," she nodded. "I'm sure of it."

"What does this have to do with H-Harry?" asked James shakily.

Lily started shaking and was forced to sit down as tears flowed down her pale cheeks. "There had always been an unusual amount of dark magic around his scar since the attack. Alice and I have been researching on what could have happened that night. According to Voldemort, it was Harry who stopped him, but accidental magic isn't enough to stop the Killing Curse. No, this was much more. I have seen the prophecy orb at the Department of Mysteries many times, even if I can't touch it. Harry and Alex were marked babies the moment they were born. Voldemort knew that both of them had the power to defeat him. It was pure chance that Harry stood up in front of Alex. The curse could have hit Alex instead of Harry as well. It was just chance, but from what Voldemort told them, they both are equally in danger, so the prophecy doesn't matter anymore."

"Back to the scar," said Lily, trying to control herself. "Alex told me that after the confrontation with Severus, Harry had been acting quite odd. He was short tempered, showed violent tendencies and didn't care about anything much. His eyes also used to flash crimson sometimes. I believe his scar burns in the presence of Voldemort or when Harry is particularly angry or upset. But this reduces as long as he is surrounded by people who love him. I-I scanned him after the stone incident and when I realised that Voldemort had made Horcruxes. James, _H-Harry has a piece of Voldemort's soul in his scar_!"

With that, she burst out crying, sobbing loudly as James went pale in the face and dropped to the ground, as tears flowed down his cheeks.

Outside the study, Alex and Harry were deathly still. Harry's hands were shaking badly as he listened what his mother told his father about the scar.

"Harry, please, we shouldn't have listened to this," said Alex, begging his brother. "Mum and dad won't let anything happen to you. I'm here for you, buddy."

But Harry wasn't listening. He was filled with agony and he couldn't control it. Pushing Alex away, he ran to his room, quickly ascending up the marble staircase and shutting the door with a snap. He locked the door and slashed his wand in the air, hissing. The edges of the door squealed shut, glowing green around the edges.

"Mum, dad!" said Alex, as he burst into the study.

"Alex, what are you doing here?" asked Lily in shock.

"Mum, we were outside the whole time," said Alex, looking terrified. "Harry heard everything!"

"FUCK!" said James as he ran out of the room.

Lily too got up quickly followed her husband to Harry's room, with Alex behind her. They could hear James thumping the door and muttering spells.

"Harry, open this door right now!" said James. When there was no response, he pointed his wand at the door and said, " _Reducto!_ "

But to his shock, a green glow appeared around the door and absorbed the spell and pushed him back.

"Dammit, Harry!" screamed James. "Open this door!"

Lily whipped out her wand and started hissing slowly. The green light disappeared and with a flick, the door opened.

"Stay back!" said a terrified voice.

James flicked his wand and the lightning charms activated, bathing the room in light.

Harry was standing in a corner, his wand pointed at them. Tears were flowing down his face and he looked downright terrified.

"Don't come near me," he shouted. "I'm dangerous! I might hurt you."

Lily came forward, but seeing the glowing wand tip, she stopped. "Harry, we know that you won't hurt us," she said calmly. "We know much you care about us all. You just don't have it in you to harm us."

"Maybe not me, but Voldemort sure can!" said Harry, as he sank to the floor. He couldn't do it; he couldn't point his wand at his parents and brother. He curled into a ball and started crying.

Lily rushed over to him and grabbed him in a hug. Harry tightened his hold on his mother, crying inconsolably as Lily rocked him back and forth. James grabbed Alex in a hug as he too was crying.

"I don't want to die," said Harry. "Please don't kill me."

"Kill you? We aren't going to kill you!" said Lily firmly, fire burning in her eyes. "Do you understand that? We're not going to kill you and we certainly are not going to abandon you!"

"R-Really?" hiccupped Harry, looking at his mother.

"Yes, really," said Lily with a small smile, running her fingers over the side of his face. "We aren't going to give up on you, Harry. You are our son! We have been searching for something that can help you all these years and we aren't going to stop now."

"But I'm dangerous!" said Harry frantically. "You said it yourself! That day-"

"You were angry, yes," said Lily patiently. "But you were able to get yourself back under control. That shows that you are capable of fighting the Horcrux and that's enough for now. You are not evil and you are not dangerous. You are the sweet little twelve-year boy who blackmailed his mother in joining the prank war against his father," she said, tapping the tip of his nose.

Harry gave a watery chuckle as he hugged her tighter. "Please don't lose heart, Harry," said Lily. "I won't give up, I promise. We will find a way to get that soul piece out of you. Do you trust me?"

Harry nodded. "So don't lose heart," said Lily. "We are all here for you."

Harry swallowed as he got up from the floor. James came over and gave him a tight hug. Harry looked at his twin brother and swallowed, but to his relief, Alex came over and hugged him tightly.

"I won't let anything happen to you," whispered Alex. "Don't worry, buddy. I'm here for you."

"Thank you," he whispered as tears flowed down his cheeks as he tightened his grip on his brother.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** Now, Harry is not 'weak'. You have to remember that he is a twelve-year-old boy and to hear something like this without truly understanding it is dangerous. Half-information is what usually leads to destruction. Harry's emotional breakdown is quite normal.

As for the Wizengamot session, I always wondered how Fudge was able to change the time and location of Harry's hearing, and send a delayed owl. Surely that violates some law? If it doesn't, Dumbledore would most definitely exploit that. Right now, Dumbledore is doing his best to keep the Potter twins at Hogwarts. He believes he can smoothen ties with the Potters later on, but unfortunately, he underestimates how much James and Lily are angry at him.


	9. Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 9

The rest of the holidays went on without further drama. Harry had been down for a few weeks following the revelation but had since bounced back, slowly. He had decided to trust his parents like he always had and leave it to them. Lily had started researching more about Horcruxes, but it was proving to be difficult as there was very little information about them, even in the infamous Black Library. Apparently, it was quite a taboo subject. She had used her contacts to get more books from the black market on the subject. These ancient books were in parselscript and were said to contain information about a Horcrux's creation and destruction. She spent a fortune in acquiring them, but in the end, it had been worth it.

Alex had made it his goal for the summer to bring Harry back to normal. The prank war was in full swing, with James using it as an excuse to teach them and the girls more magic. After all, it was because of their amazing pranks in school that he, Sirius and Remus had learnt as much magic as they had. The four children went to the amusement park a few times as well. In August, the day after the twins' birthday, James gave them each a hard bound book.

"What is this?" asked Alex in confusion.

"That, boys, is a book on how to become animagi," said James with a smile. On seeing the awed look on their faces, he continued. "I authored this book myself. Professor McGonagall just returned the draft version to me after reviewing it. It is a bit different from the conventional method, so it is faster. This is the method we used in our school years to become animagi."

James had indeed written the book and he was quite proud of it. While Sirius too was good at Transfiguration, he was more into curses and such. It had been James who had modified the animagus process, displaying his ingenuity in the subject.

"The book will be released in two days by Obscurus Books," said James. "Now, I want you both to read the book thoroughly. Don't attempt anything until I say so as Human Transfiguration is not easy, not even for you, Harry. After reading it, I want you to use your Occlumancy to dwell into your mind. You won't know your form so soon, but as you go on, your subconscious mind will know what to do and will guide you."

"How long will the process take?" asked Harry.

James shrugged and said, "It took us more than two years, but we never had an instructor, so I think you can manage in a year."

Harry and Alex eagerly went to Harry's room to discuss it. They had just entered the room, when they spotted a House Elf, jumping on the bed.

"Toby, what are you - wait, you're not Toby," said Harry with a frown. No, this wasn't their personal House Elf. For one, this elf was wearing a tea towel and not the uniform that all the Potter elves wore.

The elf looked at them both and bowed deeply. "Hadrian and Alexander Potter; such an honour it is!"

"Who are you?" said Alex with a frown. "And how did you get past the wards?"

"I is Dobby, sir," said the elf. "As for how, Dobby found it very difficult to get in, sir, but Dobby had to come here to meet the Potter twins."

"Okay," said Harry confused. "What can we do for you, Dobby?"

"Dobby has come to warn the Potter twins," said Dobby, looking around nervously. "The Potters must not go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year!"

Harry and Alex looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. "Can you tell us why, Dobby?" asked Alex.

"There is a plot! A plot to make the most terrible things happen! Dobby had to warn the Potter twins! You be in danger at Hogwarts this year!" said the elf hurriedly.

"What terrible things?" said Alex in confusion. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby's eyes went wide. He started banging his head against the stone wall while saying, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

Harry and Alex rushed to the elf and stopped the elf from harming himself.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Dobby had to -"

"-punish yourself, we can see that," said Harry dryly. "I assume you are under orders not to say anything more?"

When Dobby nodded, Alex sighed and said, "Dobby, we appreciate your warning, but we don't have a choice. Our parents wanted to pull us from Hogwarts as well, but thanks to the new law enacted by the Wizengamot, we are forced to attend Hogwarts. There is nothing we can do."

Dobby looked conflicted but said pleadingly. "Please sir, don't go this year. Great darkness is going to befall the castle this year. Dobby must keep the Potter twins safe."

With that, the elf popped out.

Harry and Alex looked at each other. "Do we tell mum and dad?" asked Harry hesitantly.

"No," said Alex flatly. "They will most definitely freak out. Come on, Harry; someone sending a House Elf and telling us not to go to Hogwarts? That's a prank in any rulebook. Or maybe it is some idiot who doesn't want us to come. Merlin knows Draco Malfoy would be pleased."

Harry frowned but nodded. "Let's keep an eye out, just in case. You're right in that this is probably nothing."

They started reading the book on animagi. Just as they opened the book, a thick fog covered them. When it disappeared, they looked at each other and saw that both of them were dressed like clowns.

"DADDY!"

James chuckled to himself as he heard his boys shout from the second floor.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The first of September arrived soon. The House Elves had finished their packing and soon, the Potter family found themselves on the platform. Once their trunks were inside the compartment, they headed outside to wait for their friends.

The summer had been quite productive. James had increased the boys' physical training, much to their annoyance. They were sent to a wizard who specialised in martial arts in Edinburgh. Alex had taken it like a duck to water, but Harry had to get hit quite few time for him to learn it. After an intensive course of two months, the boys were quite good (magical training took less time than their muggle counterpart as there were spells to guide a student). The boys had also been taught parseltongue spells by their mother, while their father had started teaching them Potter family magic. These were spells which were known only to members of the family and wouldn't work unless cast silently. Since both boys were quite well-versed in non-verbal magic, James had decided that it was time.

"Try to find a place where you can practice advanced magic," said James. "We did it one of the abandoned classrooms in the North wing. There are so many rooms that you can pick any one of them."

The boys nodded. At that moment, Daphne, Astoria, Cyrus and Elizabeth Greengrass flooed to the platform and walked towards them. Harry's face went pink as he saw Daphne, making his siblings smirk at him.

"Anything wrong, brother dear?" asked Belladonna with a smirk.

"Is it too hot for you here?" asked Camellia with a giggle.

"Shut up," hissed Harry, but that's when the Greengrasses came over.

"Hey guys," said Daphne, with a smile. "Ready for school?"

"Of course, Daph," said Harry with a squeak. His face turned pink in embarrassment as he said, "I'll take this inside for you."

With a swish and flick, he levitated her trunk and went inside the train.

"Oh, it is so entertaining to see him make a fool of himself in front of Daphne," said Alex, laughing.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "There is nothing going on," she said flatly.

"Aww, don't say that Daffy," said Astoria with a grin. "You'll break Harry's heart!"

"For Merlin's sake, we're twelve!" hissed Daphne.

"So?" said Camellia with a grin. "Our dad was chasing our mum since they were both eleven. We can see that Harry likes you; what's wrong with that?"

"Do you like him too?" asked Bella, smirking.

"Oh, she does," said Astoria smugly. At her sister's surprised expression, she clarified, "I walked in on you when you were sleeping. You talk in your sleep, Daffy and one boy's name is mentioned quite often. I also found a piece of parchment where you have written his name and filled it with hearts."

Alex's eyes went wide as he burst out laughing as Daphne turned pink in embarrassment. "None of you is to mention this to him" she hissed. "If you do, I'll strangle the whole lot you!"

"I wonder," said Alex as he looked at Astoria. "They claim to be best friends; isn't there some romance novel where the boy and girl who are best friends marry each other in the end?"

"Uh huh," said Astoria with a grin. "It's called The Amortartia Scandal."

"See?" said Alex, beaming at Daphne. "It's been done before. It is something that is just being begged to be put together like you and Harry."

"Does that mean you and Neville are going to get married to each other one day?" asked Daphne sweetly, as Alex turned red. "You did say best friends, Alex."

"She got you there, brother," said Camellia snickering.

"B-But Neville is more like our sibling!" said Alex, spluttering.

"How about we don't mention this conversation in front of your brother?" asked Daphne, glaring at Alex.

"What's in it for me?" asked Alex with a grin.

"A true Slytherin, aren't you? Very well," said Daphne with a smirk. "If you tell Harry or anyone else about this, I will tell your mother about the Poltergeist prank you pulled when we were nine! You do know that I have proof, don't you?"

"Y-You wouldn't!" said Alex horrified. That was a prank that had driven Lily insane and she had grounded both the boys for a month. Naturally, Harry had been fuming as it hadn't been his fault, but Alex had acted as though he was innocent too. If Lily were to know that Alex was actually behind it with proof in her hand, Alex was a cooked goose.

"We've known each other since we were kids, Alex, don't you think I am capable of doing it?" said Daphne with a smirk. "Do we have a deal?"

Alex hesitantly nodded, just as Harry came out of the train. Just as Neville and Susan joined them, Harry and Alex were grabbed in a hug from behind.

"Oh, Alex, Harry, it is so good to meet you, dears," said Molly Weasley as she hugged them tightly, her busty breasts pressing into their faces, much to their embarrassment. The rest of the kids exchanged looks.

"Ahm, hello," said Harry weakly, but Alex was too shocked to speak. But before he could ask anything more, Molly had moved and had grabbed a shocked Lily Potter into a hug as well. Lily, who was several inches taller than the woman, had her face quite visible to others, and all those around her could see the look of shock on her face. The women around her, namely Elizabeth Greengrass, Alice Longbottom and Mary Bones were staring at the woman and trying to find out what she was up to.

"Lizzie, what is she up to?" whispered Alice.

"I have no idea, but I have heard enough people complain about her," said Elizabeth.

Mary, on the other hand, was laughing. "Oh, look at Lily's face!" she said as she grinned. "This is just like the time when James had first asked her out in third year in the middle of the Great Hall!"

"Hello, Lily dear," said Molly with a big smile. "It's so nice to meet you again."

"Excuse me?" asked Lily in surprise.

"My son Ronnie has told me so much about young Alex and Harry," said Molly, looking fondly at the boys. "I'm sure you have heard much about them, as the three are best friends. My Ronnie sent them a letter this summer, inviting them home, but they said that they wouldn't be able to attend. You MUST come to the Burrow for Yule. My daughter Ginny admires you so much."

Lily blinked and looked at her sons. Harry shook his head slightly and looked directly into her eyes, inviting her. Lily understood and sent out a light Legilimency probe into his mind.

 _FLASHBACK_

 _Harry, Alex, Bella and Lia were in the garden, with books spread out around them. It was the first week of August and the prank war was in full swing and they needed ideas which could fool their father._

 _"_ _I still don't trust you," said Alex, suspiciously._

 _"_ _Oh, give it a rest," grumbled Bella. "Dad betrayed us and we don't think it was an accident. Don't you want to get back at him too?"_

 _"_ _Let it go, Alex," said Harry as he flipped the pages of his book. "I'm sure their intention is pure."_

 _"_ _I think I found something," said Camellia with a frown._

 _"_ _What? What is it?" asked Alex excitedly._

 _"_ _See for yourself!" she said passing the book to him. Alex took the book and Harry too looked at it as he was curious. The second they opened the book, there was a blanket of fog around them again and when it cleared, the girls were laughing themselves sick. The boys looked at each other and gasped. Both were sprouting antlers like their dad's animagus form; their ears had transformed into that of a deer and worst of all, they had been given an embarrassing deer's tail._

 _"_ _How does he do that?" asked Harry exasperated. "This is time delayed transfiguration! I've tried it so many times, but I just don't get it!"_

 _"_ _That's because you don't have a charms mistress helping you out on the side," said a voice. They turned and saw their parents standing there with smirks on their faces. "Oh, look Lily! We have two fawns! Aren't they adorable?" asked James happily._

 _"_ _MUM?" said Alex in disbelief. "Traitor! You were supposed to be on our side!"_

 _"_ _Really?" said Lily in shock. "I never knew that!"_

 _"_ _So, how do you do it?" asked Harry curiously._

 _"_ _Tell you what," said James with a smile. "You two figure out how to undo the Transfiguration and I'll show you how it works."_

 _"_ _But this is probably a scheme of three layers," whined Alex. "I don't like Transfiguration."_

 _"_ _Hmm, I wonder if there is a potion to reverse such a transfiguration," said Lily mysteriously._

 _"_ _The Mandrake Restorative Draught!" said Alex, his eyes wide. "It can reverse Human Transfiguration!"_

 _"_ _It needs to be very mild," said Lily. "You work on it for Harry, while he undoes the three layered scheme of Transfiguration on you."_

 _Fifteen minutes later, Alex was sitting on the ground, with Harry muttering and pointing his wand at his brother's head to remove the antlers. Just then, an owl flew over them and dropped a letter next to them. Alex opened it curiously and frowned._

 _"_ _What is it, buddy?" asked Harry._

 _"_ _It's from Ron Weasley," said Alex with a frown. "Actually, it's more of a letter from his mother than him. It says that they have invited us to their home for the remainder of the holidays and that since we are Ron's 'best friends' (not sure when that happened), Mrs Weasley would love to have us at their house. It seems Ron wants to play Quidditch with us or something and his sister is anxious to meet us."_

 _"_ _Wait, I've heard of her," said Harry with a frown. "Yes, Susan mentioned her, remember? She said that she met her once at a party for the employees of the DMLE. She said that her name was Ginny and that she is obsessed with us."_

 _Alex grimaced. "No thanks, then," he said. "There is no way am I leaving the manor this summer. We've having a lot of fun and I'm not interested. Are you?"_

 _Harry snorted. "I have less patience for Ron than you do," he explained. "No thanks"_

 _"_ _Looks like his mother will be disappointed," said Alex as he asked for his house elf to give him a sheet of parchment and a quill._

 _"_ _From what I've heard from rumours, she is quite overbearing," said Harry with a frown._

 _"_ _Then there is no way do I want to go. Being told by someone else on what to do besides mum and dad? No thanks."_

It had only been a few seconds in real time when Lily pulled out of Harry's mind and shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Ahm, yes, nice to meet you, Mrs Weasley," said Lily calmly. "The boys were busy this summer, which was why they couldn't accept your invitation. I'm sorry, but I don't think we have met before."

Molly coughed slightly but continued. "Yes, but we don't need to talk about that," she said hurriedly. "My brothers used to talk about you and your husband and so I, so it feels like I already know you! How have you been, Lily dear?"

"Ah, yes, Gideon and Fabian Prewett," said Lily with a wince as Alice grimaced too. "They were good friends; I'm sorry for your loss."

"This is my daughter, Ginny," said Molly, grabbing her daughter and pulling her to her side. "She can't stop talking about Harry and Alex, can you dear?" she said with a chuckle, ignoring her daughter's pink face. "She's very intelligent, you know. She seems to think you hung the moon! She has been waiting to meet you for so long!"

"Ahm, good to know," said Lily, not sure how to react; she had never been in such a situation before. "Nice to meet you, Miss Weasley."

"Oh, forget all that nonsense," said Molly, waving her hand airily. "We don't need to be so formal with each other; we're basically family!"

"They are?" said Frank in surprise, ignoring James who was holding him for support as he laughed himself sick at his wife's unfortunate predicament. "I didn't know that the Potters or Ashwoods had connections to the Weasleys."

"They don't," said Alfred Bones with a small smile.

"Mum, the train is leaving!" said Harry loudly. Look at her son gratefully, she said, "It was nice to see you, Mrs Weasley. But if you'll excuse me, the train is leaving soon."

With that, she hurried off to her children, who were doing their best not to laugh. She gave them a big hug and soon, they were all boarding the train. When Alex caught sight of Ginny starting at Harry, he smirked. Unfortunately for Alex, he hadn't caught sight of her staring at him when he was not looking.

"Hey Daph," he whispered. "Looks like you have some competition for Harry's heart."

Daphne looked back and smirked slightly. "Alex, that's a fan girl; do you honestly think Harry will have a crush on her? Besides, she's staring at you as well."

"What?" asked Alex alarmed. Before he could turn back, they had reached their compartment and they went inside. Much to everyone's amusement, Ginny Weasley had followed them inside too. Seeing what was going on, Susan grabbed Harry and pushed him towards Daphne while she sat next to Alex, with Neville and Hannah opposite to them. Daphne couldn't help but smirk at Susan who winked back at her.

Ginny silently fumed. _She_ wanted to sit next to the Boys Who Lived. Albus Dumbledore had come to the Burrow a few weeks ago and had asked Molly to befriend the Potter family. He knew that he had blown it with James and Lily, but he had to regain their trust. Since the Weasleys essentially worshipped him, he asked Molly to tell Ron and Ginny to get closer to the Potter twins, so that it would be beneficial in the future. Molly had used this as an excuse to get her daughter familiar with the Potters, hoping that Ginny would one day marry one of the Potter twins; or maybe even both. Really, Ginny would thank her one day when she was married to two husbands and identical twins at that! Naturally, Ginny had been ecstatic about it and had decided to do her best to charm the Boys Who Lived. She had grown up read all those books and was mesmerised by what the boys had done. Who else but the Boys Who Lived could tame a dragon at the age of three?

When she saw them in the platform, Ginny _knew_ that she was going to get married to both boys. After all, while it hadn't been seen recently, polygamy was quite legal in the magical world. She would be known as Ginevra Molly Potter, the wife of the Boys Who Lived! Everyone would be so jealous; even Tom agreed that it was a good plan. But now, those Greengrass and Bones girls were sitting next to her future husbands. Ignoring them, she took out her diary and started writing to Tom.

About ten minutes into the train ride, Harry's scar started to prickle. He reached up and scratched it, hoping the pain would reduce.

"What's wrong?" whispered Daphne.

"Nothing," said Harry with a smile as he squeezed her hand. He saw Alex looking at him with wide eyes so he mouthed 'later' and went back to talking to Daphne. Halfway through the train ride, a first year knocked on the door and entered.

"I was said to give these to Hadrian and Alexander Potter," said the girl nervously.

Alex took the slip of parchment and smiled at the girl. "Thank you"

The girl blushed and with a squeak, went out of the compartment. Alex opened it and read it with raised eyebrows.

"What is it?" asked Harry. Just then, the first year returned again and handed another slip to Susan Bones.

"It is an invitation from Slughorn," said Alex. "Well, looks like mum was right about him."

"Why am I invited?" asked Susan confused.

"You are Aunt Amelia's niece," said Harry. "I'm pretty sure he will be calling all the Heirs and other influential and talented people to some parties of his soon."

With that, the three of them headed to the compartment. When they entered, they found the place to have been magically expanded with plush couches and a large dining table.

"Ah, welcome, welcome," said a fat man. He was round, with an enormous belly and a walrus-sized moustache. In other words, he looked exactly like the picture they had seen in their mother's study.

"Please sit down, make yourselves at home!" said the man, beaming. "I have brought us all lunch! I know the Head Chef at the Grand Elixir, so this should be quite a feast!"

Harry now understood what their mother had said; Slughorn was very well connected. The Slytherin in him could really appreciate the enormous benefits this could offer.

"Good afternoon, Professor Slughorn," said Harry with a smile. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Yes, we have grown up hearing a lot about you," said Alex. He knew the man was well connected, but he was more fascinated by the man's sheer talent in potions. This was his mother's mentor during her Potions Mastery; imagine the things he could learn from him!

Slughorn laughed loudly. "Oh, so Lily has mentioned me, has she?" he said fondly. "Jolly good. Sit down, everyone. Let's see who we have here. I presume you know Blaise Zabini?"

Harry and Alex smiled at the dark skinned snake who nodded with a small smile of his own. While there was the traditional rivalry between the two houses, Blaise had been warm towards the twins, considering that he was friends with Daphne.

"And here we have Cormac McLaggen, another Gryffindor, perhaps you have come across each other – no?"

Harry and Alex did know him but didn't care for his brash attitude or arrogance, so hadn't spoken to him much. But they knew that the boy's family was influential. Just because a family was not an Ancient House didn't make them any less important. No, there were several important families whose members were in high places in the Ministry; others had large businesses; the Abbotts, for example, had large Potions ingredients farms and they were one of the main suppliers for Magical Britain.

"- and this is Marcus Belby, I don't know whether you -"

"And of course, we have Susan Bones -" where Susan gave a tight smile.

"And finally, our very own national heroes!" beamed Slughorn. "Such stories about you, dear boys. Everyone was fascinated at the time! Two boys surviving a killing curse at the age of one! Incredible!"

Alex and Harry gave a strained smile at that. Slughorn passed food around the table while inquiring about the people everyone was connected to. Marcus Belby was quickly dismissed after he confessed that he didn't know his uncle very well. Slughorn then interrogated McLaggen who seemed to know Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office. Blaise, it turned out, had a mother who married several times and died under mysterious circumstances after leaving her a mountain of gold, but that wasn't the reason he was called. The Zabinis were the Italian version of the Black family. They were assassins. Harry knew that the Potters weren't so rosy either; they were high profile thieves, having robbed several families in the past who had dared to cross them. In some cases, especially after the Potter Massacre, they had even wiped out their enemies. It was just that nobody knew about it; they didn't actively advertise it like the Blacks.

After McLaggen, the attention turned to Susan. Amelia Black was probably the most powerful woman in the country at the moment, with being Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House and Black and the Head of the DMLE.

"Oh, you know Amelia too?" asked Slughorn in surprise.

"She is married to our godfather, Professor and is one of our mother's best friends," said Harry with a small smile. "Of course we know her."

"We all grew up together," said Susan with a shrug.

"Grew up together?" said Slughorn with interest. "I heard that you were quite isolated at your manor."

"Oh, Merlin no," said Alex, shaking his head. "Please don't listen to Lord Malfoy talk about that. We, that is to say, Harry and I, grew up with Susan, Neville Longbottom, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, and Cassiopeia and Rigel Black; of course, you can't forget our sisters Belladonna and Camellia Potter."

Slughorn's eyes lit up, while Harry mentally sighed. While their mother might have liked this man and Alex might too because of his expertise in Potions, he agreed with his dad. Slughorn was an opportunist through and through. He put on a fake smile; if there was one thing he had learnt from his Grandma Dorea's portrait, is was that you never know when such people could be beneficial; never show your hand.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Once they reached Hogsmeade station, they climbed out of the train and went to the carriages when they stopped shot.

"W-What is that?" asked Neville in shock. There were creatures pulling the carriages. They looked like horses, but were quite bony and had wings.

"What's what?" asked Hannah, confused.

"Those are Thestrals, Neville," said Harry quietly as he petted the creature. "I read about them. They can only be seen by someone who has seen death."

Alex hesitantly approached the created and petted it too. They both had seen Quirrell die just a few months ago, so it wasn't much of a shock. They got into the carriage which started moving. Once they reached the castle, they headed to their House tables. The feast went on normally. Harry and Alex spoke to their Housemates and once done, they headed to their dorms. When everyone was asleep, Alex got up and crawled into Harry's bed.

"Did your scar hurt on the train?" asked Alex worriedly.

"Not as much as last year, but yes," said Harry. "I'm sure it was nothing. It was just for a second or two."

"Harry-"

"It's getting late," said Harry as he pushed his brother on the bed. Activating the alert charms, he put an arm around his brother and went to bed, ignoring the worried look on Alex's face.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The next two months at Hogwarts flew by rapidly. The lessons were all good, well, all except one. Dumbledore, in his infinite wisdom, had hired Gilderoy Lockhart as the Defence teacher, who, after attending one class of his, was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he knew next to nothing about the subject. On his first class, the man had given them a quiz on his books. Of course, not being able to help himself, Alex had written answers which mocked Lockhart as much as possible. Harry had then charmed it with a confundus charm woven inside a compulsion charm, which made the man read the answers of Alex's test without knowing what he was reading. Suffice it to say, the class was roaring with laughter at the end of it, much to Lockhart's confusion.

Harry and Alex had also found a place to practice their magic. It had been a total coincidence that they managed to find it. They had been exploring the castle, only to spot a House Elf pacing in front of a blank wall. To their shock, a large iron door appeared and the elf went inside. Wanting to know what it was, they inquired about the place and the elf had happily explained about the Room of Requirement. They had since started using it regularly for learning magic and also duel each other and against the practice dummies. Their father and Uncle Padfoot had been fascinated by the room, not having come across the place during their school years. Since they now had a good place to practice, their training had increased multi-fold, with James sometimes teaching them via the mirror.

Harry's scar didn't act up too much, but it did occasionally throb during the evenings when they were in the Gryffindor Common Room. He never told his brother, but when he would climb into bed with Alex, his brother would immediately know that his scar was bothering him. After relentless begging, Alex had agreed not to tell their parents about the scar. After all, they knew what it was and there was nothing they could do about it until Lily devised a way to get it removed without killing Harry. No need to pressure their mother needlessly.

On Samhain, the Potter twins were enjoying the grand feast prepared by the House Elves when they heard a voice so cold and deadly, that they dropped their forks in shock.

" _Come to me . . . let me rip you . . . let me tear you . . . let me kill you . . . yesss . . . so hungry . . . must kill. . ."_

Both of them looked at each other with wide eyes. They looked around and to their confusion, none of them seemed to have heard it. Were they the only ones to hear the voice? Knowing that they couldn't discuss it during the feast, they finished their food, waiting for the feast to end soon. Once it did, they quickly made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room along with the rest, quite oblivious to the turmoil that was gripping the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins.

"What do you suppose that was?" asked Alex.

"We did hear that voice right?" asked Harry, biting his lip. "The voice that said that it wanted to kill?"

"Yes," said Alex, leaning on the headboard of the bed. "How is that no one else could hear it?"

"Where's Tango?" asked Harry in confusion. Their pet Crup would always ensure that he was here when the boys came back for the night.

"Tango! Where are you, boy?" asked Alex as he climbed out of bed.

Several floors below, the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were all staring at the still form of Harry and Alex's Crup, which was standing stiff as a board next to the water which was on the floor. On the wall above, a message was written, which everyone could make out was in blood.

 _THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED_

 _The sole, true Heir has returned; the ones claiming my title as theirs; beware. This is your only warning._

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 **AN:** Thank you all for your reviews. Now let me clarify about the new law which was passed in the previous chapter. It is quite easy to make the Potters leave the country, but the fact of the matter is that no one would do that. No one would leave their home and go elsewhere unless there was a real reason for it. In this case, the other Ancient and Noble Houses don't care about the law much because they wouldn't want to pull their children or grandchildren out of Hogwarts either way. According to them, that makes no sense because it is tradition to attend Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore managed to get the bill passed because he let them know that James was going to pull the Boys Who Lived out of Hogwarts. He saying that (along with discreet bribes) was enough for them to pass the bill. After all, the national heroes leaving the country would be disastrous for all.

Yes, homeschooling is an option, but I don't think Harry or Alex would be thrilled about not going to school and staying at home. When all their friends are at Hogwarts, why would they want to stay at home? The effect of the bill on the situation will be shown in the next chapter.


	10. The Slug Club

Chapter 10

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened!" said Draco Malfoy gleefully. "You'll be next, mudbloods!"

"Twenty points from Slytherin and detention with me tomorrow, Mr Malfoy," snapped Horace Slughorn, his face red. "I won't have any of my students use that word."

"When my father -"

"Oh, I'm so scared," said Professor Slughorn sarcastically. "Don't threaten me, Mr Malfoy. I have taught both your parents, and your father knows exactly who I am. Use that word again, and you will be in deep trouble, young man."

Malfoy looked furious. Albus Dumbledore arrived at the place with a frown on his face. "Horace, what is going on here? Why -"

Albus looked at the dog and the writing on the wall and his eyes went wide. This was not good.

"Who's crup is this?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"He belongs to Harry and Alex, Professor," said Daphne with a grimace. She knew that the twins were very fond of their pet. This was not going to end well.

"Minerva, go to Gryffindor Tower and ensure that the Potters are safe and not attacked," said Albus grimly. "If the writing on the wall is any indication, they are at risk."

People started whispering as to who the might have done this. Everyone knew that the Lily Potter, being born to the Ashwood family was the descendant of Salazar Slytherin, but this showed that someone obviously didn't like that fact. Was there someone else who could trace their ancestry to the Founder?

Minerva entered Gryffindor Tower to see Harry and Alex frantically searching for their pet.

"Tango!" said Harry frantically. "Has anyone seen our crup?"

"Mr and Mr Potter," said Minerva. When they turned, she said, "We have found your pet on the first floor. I'm afraid you are needed downstairs. Please follow me, boys."

Wondering what was going on, Harry and Alex followed her to the Defence classroom where they found several teachers surrounding Professor Dumbledore who was holding –

"Tango!" said Alex, with wide eyes. "What happened to him?"

"I'm afraid your crup has been petrified," said Dumbledore grimly.

" _Petrified_?" said Harry in shock. He looked at the small dog. No, this wasn't the regular Body Blind Curse. This was something else; he could sense it. "But – but who did it?"

"Of that, we have no idea," said Dumbledore. "We found him in a corridor on the first floor."

"Was there no one at the crime scene? Magical residue? Ghost witnesses?" asked Harry.

"Tonight is Samhain, Mr Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Why would the ghosts not be at the feast?"

"Not to worry, we will find out what caused this," said Dumbledore. "Professor Sprout has recently acquired Mandrakes. Once they are fully matured and are ready for cutting -"

"- a Mandrake Restorative Draught can be prepared, yes, I know," said Alex with a frown. "But those mandrakes are still babies. It would take a full year for them to mature. We have ingredients at Potter Manor. I'll get them and prepare the Draught and administer it to Tango tomorrow."

"You can prepare the Draught?" asked Professor Slughorn in shock. "I knew you were a prodigy! Just like Lily!"

"He did it just this summer," said Harry softly with a proud smile. "We had to reverse a complex bit of Transfiguration that our dad had pranked us with. I had to undo the three layered Transfiguration while Alex prepared the Draught."

"You can undo a three layered Transfiguration?" asked Professor McGonagall in shock. "Impressive!"

Nodding to the staff, Alex picked up their dog and the twins headed out. The staff huddled together, trying to figure out what was going on with the Chamber of Secrets.

"Are you sure this isn't a prank, Albus?" asked Minerva.

"This has happened before," said Slughorn, shaking his head. "The last time, a girl died. We have to be very careful."

Dumbledore nodded gravely. He had to contact his informants. Something was not right . . .

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Petrified?" said James incredulously.

"Yes," said Alex, while Harry looked at Tango worriedly. "Is the Mandrake Restorative Draught still there from when I prepared it this summer?"

Lily frowned and called an elf. A minute later, an elf appeared in front of Harry and Alex, holding a phial.

"That quantity should be enough for Tango," said Lily. "Go on"

Harry carefully held Tango up as Alex poured the potion into his mouth. The crup was still for several seconds until it started to regain its colour. Two minutes later, Tango gave a whimper and buried its head in Harry's arms.

"It's alright, Tango," said Harry soothingly. "We're here for you. You're safe."

"It was probably a seventh-year student," said James with a frown. "Such level of petrification is dark magic. Either way, why would they target a dog? It doesn't make sense."

Alex and Harry shrugged. After speaking for a few minutes, they deactivated the mirror. Tango was too terrified to leave the boys for the night so Harry kept the crup on the bed with him and went to sleep, completely forgetting the voice they had heard during dinner because of the drama that had unfolded later.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The next day, people were still whispering about the incident. Harry and Alex were quite confused when they saw various people staring at them more than usual. When they sat down for breakfast at the Hufflepuff table, Alex couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, what is going on here?" he whispered to Susan. "Why are they looking at us as though we are going to drop dead any second?"

Susan grimaced at his choice of words. "I'll show you after breakfast" she whispered back.

When Alex opened his mouth to argue, she squeezed his hand and said, "Not now!"

Alex shrugged and began filling his plate with food. Once they were done, Susan led him to the first floor.

"This is where we found Tango last night," she explained. "Look at the writing on the wall."

Alex looked at the wording and said, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Chamber of Secrets is a myth".

Susan shrugged. "Maybe, but how do you explain what happened to Tango?"

"It was probably a dark curse," said Alex with a shrug. "This whole thing is probably done by someone who wants us out of the school. In fact, they sent an elf to our manor this summer, telling us not to go to Hogwarts. It bet it is done by someone who wants us out just to ensure that we can't take our seats on the Wizengamot unless we finish studying at Hogwarts. I wonder who is behind this because the attempt is quite lame."

With that, Susan and Alex disappeared from the corridor, not knowing that a first-year girl with red hair was listening to their conversation from inside the girl's bathroom. The girl's eyes were crimson.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

A week later, Harry found himself wearing designer robes and staring at the mirror. He sighed.

"I can't believe I'm being made to do this," he grumbled.

"Oh cheer up!" said Alex brightly. "At least we'll have mum and dad there too!"

Horace Slughorn had decided to throw a party for his old students and had called several talented people to the place as well. He had been very impressed with the Potter twins in his class. While Harry was nowhere as good at Potions as his brother, he still scored an Outstanding in all his tests and exams, so Slughorn was fond of him, though not as much as Alex. The Potions Professor was raving about Alex's ability in Potions, telling him that he had never taught anyone so talented and considering how old the man was, that was saying something! Of course, Professor McGonagall might not say much, but Harry knew that she felt the same about him when it came to Transfiguration.

After getting dressed, Alex and Harry waited at the Entrance Hall for the girls to arrive; they didn't want to go alone, after all. After two minutes, Daphne and Susan arrived. Harry went pink in the face as he saw Daphne. Offering his arm, they went down to the dungeons. Alex, on the other hand, didn't know what was happening to him. He swallowed as he looked at Susan who looked pretty with a blue dress over her petite frame and her light blonde hair flowing. He felt a tingling sensation and wondered what was going on. He didn't like girls! They were . . . icky?

No, no, no! This couldn't be happening to him! He had teased Harry about Daphne so many times and he couldn't let him know about this. He had known Susan his whole life with both their mothers being best friends since school. What was going on?

"Aren't we going to go, Alex?" asked Susan in amusement.

"Huh?" squeaked Alex and coloured in embarrassment as he offered his arm to her. He would have to talk to Harry about this. He was confused. Was this how Harry felt about Daphne?

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Horace Slughorn was looking around, beaming. This was certainly worth coming to teach at Hogwarts. He saw several students, both old and new, and some influential people as well. He turned to the entrance of the room and his eyes lit up; this was his most favourite student of all! She was finally here!

"Lily! James! So good to see you here!" said Slughorn, beaming at them.

"Professor Slughorn!" said Lily with a smile as she hugged the man. "It's been far too long."

"Indeed it has. How are you, my dear?" he asked, after acknowledging James with a nod.

James mentally sighed. He knew that Slughorn didn't care much for him except for his status, so he politely excused himself and found himself talking to –

"The book has been a massive hit, James," said Minerva McGonagall with a smile. "It was really well written. I have received several letters from Transfiguration experts abroad saying that your method is certainly a new approach."

"Thanks, Minne," said James with a smile. "Transfiguration Today seems to think so too."

"Though," she said with an annoyed expression. "I'm not happy that you boys tried to become animagi when you were barely fifteen. Imagine what could have gone wrong, you stupid boy!"

James barked out a laugh, just as Harry and Daphne came over to them.

"Hey Uncle James," said Daphne with a smile.

"Hey Daphne, Harry," said James with a smile. "Where's Alex?"

"I think he's going through a crisis," said Harry as Daphne snickered.

"What do you mean?" asked Professor McGonagall with a frown.

"I think dear Alex has finally realised that all girls aren't icky!" said Harry as he burst out laughing. "Finally! After all the hell he has given me over the past year, I can get back at him!"

"Harry," said James with a warning in his tone.

"Oh, don't worry, dad," said Harry with an innocent expression on his face. "You know I won't do anything bad, don't you? I'm innocent!" he said, making his green eyes big and wide.

"Damn you, Sirius," muttered James. Why did he have to teach that expression to his kids?

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"I heard rumours that you are an Unspeakable," said Slughorn.

Lily smiled mysteriously. "You can't believe everything you hear, Professor," she said softly.

"But you don't deny it, either," he said, beaming.

"Anything you say, Professor," replied Lily, making the old man laugh.

"Always the cheeky one, aren't you Lily?" he said fondly. "I'm glad people recognise your talent. There is one girl in the second year, you know. At first, she reminded me of you, but as time went on, I realised that she wasn't anything like you," he said with a sigh. "In fact, Minerva wanted to talk to you about this, hoping you could talk to this girl."

Lily frowned. Who did he want her to talk to?

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Hermione Granger mentally frowned. She really didn't like these parties. They were boring! She could talk to a few people, but they were all so immature! At first, she had been thrilled to meet the Boys Who Lived, but she had been disappointed in the first Transfiguration class. Really, how could they do that in front of a teacher? She had tried to tell people to follow the rules, but no one listened to her! This was just like primary school all over again. All of them were a bunch of hooligans. At least there, she took pride in being the first in class, but it annoyed her to know end when she was repeatedly beaten by several people in class or tests. The Potter twins always stood first and she couldn't understand how they did that! Every time she saw them, they would be goofing off with Neville! She and Ron were friends somewhat, but she wanted someone who was as mature as her. No one here seemed to have a lick of sense! Everything they did was illogical!

"Miss Granger?" said a female voice. She turned to find an astonishingly beautiful woman with dark red hair and bright emerald eyes. She had seen those eyes before.

"I'm Lily Potter," she introduced herself. "Do you have a moment to talk?"

Hermione's eyes flashed in recognition. She was Harry and Alex's mother. Until recently, everyone thought that she was a muggleborn when it had been discovered that she was actually a pureblood and had been adopted by her muggle parents.

"Hello, Mrs Potter," said Hermione with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

Lily smiled as she led the girl to the other side. She had just finished speaking to Minerva who had requested her to speak to Hermione.

"Your teachers are really impressed with your performance in class," said Lily with a smile. "You obviously have talent."

"Thank you," said Hermione, beaming.

"So, how are you handling the magical world, Hermione?" asked Lily. "I know personally how difficult it is for a muggleborn to adapt to our world. How are you fairing so far?"

Hermione remained quiet. "It is different, I guess," she said hesitantly.

"How so?" asked Lily encouragingly, discreetly casting a privacy ward around them.

Lily listened patiently as Hermione began saying how everything was so different. It soon branched on to the bigotry against muggles and muggleborns and how wizards had no common sense or logic and how they were backward as compared to muggles. Lily was glad that she had put up a privacy ward; many would have been highly offended by her words and there was no telling what the dark families would do if they ever heard Hermione sprout off her beliefs in such a fashion.

"Hermione, I would deeply advise you not to say such things in front of others," said Lily slowly. "It is only because I was muggle raised do I understand what you are saying."

"Why is that?" asked Hermione irritably.

"Because everyone here, including my husband and children, would be highly offended by your words," said Lily patiently. "Let me clarify," she said, noticing that Hermione was about to speak. "Yes, there is bigotry. I know that personally. The bigotry at Hogwarts now is nothing compared to what I went through when I was a student. I was a student here when Voldemort," Hermione gasped at the name "was waging a full-scale war. I have tolerated more bigotry than you can imagine. But the same people are now nodding in respect when they realised that I am a pureblood."

"Doesn't that show that there is nothing in blood?" asked Hermione angrily. "Surely there is no difference in blood if they thought you were a muggleborn and now a pureblood. A blood test -"

"Being a pureblood or a halfblood or a muggleborn doesn't have anything to do with blood," said Lily shaking her head. "This is a common misconception among muggleborns like us. It is the way we were raised compared to the way they were raised is what makes us different as compared to them." Seeing her confused expression, she continued. "Let me give you an example. What do you do if you want to clean your teeth?"

"I brush my teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste," said Hermione, looking at Lily as though she were insane.

Lily nodded. "What would you do if you were to clean your room?"

"I would take all my clothes and put them in my wardrobe and the books in the bookcase."

"What if you needed a glass of water?" asked Lily, much to Hermione's frustration.

"I would go to the kitchen, take a glass and fill it with water," she said.

"Okay," said Lily. "That is correct. But witches and wizards don't do any of those things. We don't brush our teeth. We have spells for that and a magical device for the younger children. We don't need to physically fold clothes as we use magic for it. If we need water, we would conjure a glass and use the _Aguamenti_ charm to fill it with water."

"That just shows that wizards are lazy," huffed Hermione.

"That's the point, we aren't," said Lily patiently. "It is something which all witches and wizards grew up with; it is a way of life. You see magic as a tool or a special talent, but witches and wizards don't. To them, magic is a way of life. It is everything to them that makes them special and ordinary. Magic to witches and wizards isn't something you get by waving a stick; it is much more than that. They base all their beliefs and traditions on magic and such comments are what will alienate you in the magical world and validate the purebloods' claim that they should not allow muggleborns into the magical world."

Seeing her blank look, Lily sighed. She hadn't taken this long to figure it out when she had joined the magical world! "My point is that you are looking at the magical world as backward as compared to the muggle world. You also believe that wizards don't have logic, but the point is that wizard logic is different from muggle logic. I strongly advise you to not compare the two worlds – they are fundamentally different. I know that you would want to. I compared them as well, but over time, I realised that they are not comparable because they are two different societies. Think of it as essentially moving to another country, because that is what is reality and since you are here, you'll have to adjust to your new environment instead of saying wizards are backward."

"But the muggle world is so much more advanced!" said Hermione hotly. "Why, we have aeroplanes and telephones, travelled to the moon, and democracy and -"

Lily pinched her nose. "Hermione, wizards don't care about any of that," she said, trying to hide her exasperation. She understood now why Slughorn said that this girl wasn't like other muggleborns. "Wizards have had brooms for nearly two thousand years; telephones are not needed because there is the floo network as well as charmed mirrors; I know that muggles are ahead in terms of space exploration, but that subject is delicate in these circles because wizards cannot explore space without breaching the International Statute of Secrecy and they will no doubt blame muggles for it; our government isn't a full-fledged democracy, granted, but it is a mixture which works very well in our world. There has never been a monarchy in the magical world, here or internationally over the past fifteen hundred odd years, ever since the last of the magical kings died. There are elected representatives in the government too. I advise you to read books on the magical world which are there in the library to get a better understanding of the society you have entered into. Trust me, it will help."

"What about all those students who receive help before they come to Hogwarts?" asked Hermione unable to help herself. "Isn't that cheating?"

Lily smiled slightly. "Was it cheating when your parents taught you mathematics and English before your teachers taught it to you at school? Think about it, Miss Granger. Have a good day."

Lily left, not noticing the look of shock on Hermione's face. She had never thought of her studying ahead and scoring more marks to be cheating! Lost in thought, Hermione walked out of the room.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alex climbed into bed, confused. What was up with him? Just as he was thinking about the party, the curtains to his bed opened and his twin brother plopped himself next to Alex after putting up the standard secrecy wards.

"Hello, brother dear," said Harry with a smirk, his head resting on his hand, leaning on his elbow. "Did you enjoy the party?"

Alex ignored the smirk. He knew that Harry would tease him mercilessly, and a part of him agreed that he deserved it.

"What's happening to me?" asked Alex worriedly.

Harry chuckled. "You have a crush on Susan," he declared.

"I do not!" replied Alex hotly, his face turning pink.

"Yes, you do," said Harry with a smirk. "Oh, my baby brother is growing up!" he said, wiping fake tears from his face. "I never thought I would see this day!"

"Shut up," muttered Alex as he buried his face in his pillow as Harry laughed, starting a wrestling match which ended on the floor with punches being thrown at each other. James and Sirius really should have given the boys The Talk the previous summer.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Welcome everyone to the first Quidditch match of the season, which is between Gryffindor and Slytherin!" shouted Lee Jordan. James and Sirius were sitting next to each other in the stands for the 'important people', trying to hide their annoyance. Lucius Malfoy was sitting just a few rows in front of them.

"I don't get it," said James, shaking his head. "How in Merlin's name did he become the new Chairman of the Board?"

"Do you think we should have applied as well?" asked Sirius.

"No way," said James, shaking his head. "I'm too busy, and so is Lily. None of us has the time, Padfoot, which is why I wonder why the long-haired bastard is doing this. We know he doesn't care about the school."

"Harry told me that he has bought the entire Slytherin team brand new Nimbus Thousand and Ones," said Sirius dryly. "And guess who's who is the new seeker?"

James snorted. "I wonder how dear Draco convinced daddy to spend so much money," he said, shaking his head. "At least we got tax cuts for those brooms since they were used for the school; what does he get? I doubt he would buy them the brooms without some benefit he could derive from it."

"Oh, don't you know?" asked Sirius in surprise. "It seems he tried to get Fudge to pass an order to get a weighted deduction for donating anything to Slytherin House. He was hoping on reducing his tax liability by two hundred percent of the cost of those brooms."

"Excuse me?" asked James in shock. "Did it work?"

"No," said Sirius smugly. "I found out about it in time and was able to, ah, _persuade_ dear Cornelius not to sign that order. Unfortunately for dear Lucy, he had already purchased the brooms. You can still see the scowl on his face."

Indeed, Lucius was scowling, albeit slightly. James and Sirius chuckled, just as the game started. It was turning out to be a really fun match, with Harry and Alex showing their usual outstanding teamwork.

"Just how do they coordinate like that?" asked Sirius in bewilderment. "The way they play; it's like those brooms of the opposite team don't even matter! Damn, the English National Team would love to get their hands on them. Maybe they can play for Puddlemere United until then; you own the team, after all."

James chuckled. He frowned when he caught sight of the bludgers. After observing for two whole minutes, he said, "Padfoot, are my eyes deceiving me or are both bludgers going specifically after the boys?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes as he observed the match. Clearly, the bludgers were rigged.

"Not again!" said Sirius. "Last year was bad enough!"

James immediately got up to talk to an exasperated Madam Hooch who was talking to Oliver Wood.

"There is clearly something wrong with the bludgers, Wood!" she said. "Do you still want to continue?"

"They aren't listening to me!" said Oliver heatedly. "They refuse to budge, saying that they want to continue playing!"

Oliver didn't say that even he didn't want to postpone the match, especially considering how well they were doing until now.

Madam Hooch sighed in exasperation. "Alright, but we'll keep an eye on it. If I feel it is getting too dangerous, I'll cancel the match and you'll have to listen to me, is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" said Oliver and took off into the air. The whole time, the bludgers were still following the Potter twins who were executing dangerous flying manoeuvres to avoid them.

"You have the most stubborn kids I have ever met," said Madam Hooch angrily as James Potter came towards her. "They refuse to postpone the match!"

James winced. He and Lily were both incredibly stubborn and it had passed on to their children; all four of them.

Harry avoided the bludger by performing a Sloth Grip Roll. Just as he straightened his broom, Draco Malfoy flew over to him.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" he said snidely, with a smirk.

Harry looked at the boy. Just behind the boy's ear, the snitch was hovering. Without waiting for a second, he raced ahead, pushing Malfoy to the side and grabbed the snitch.

"Is it over? Yes, HADRIAN POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH. GRYFFINDOR WINS 340-120!"

Alex smiled at his brother. They had won. Unfortunately, the two brothers had forgotten the bludgers that were chasing them.

WHAM!

People screamed as both boys were pushed from their brooms as the bludgers hit their spine.

James and Sirius pointed their wands at them.

" _Aristo Momentum!"_

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alex woke up with a groan. Damn, his back hurt! He could vaguely make out the person next to him.

"Hey, Harry, where are we?" asked Alex in confusion.

"Hospital wing," said Harry grimly. "The damn bludger got us in the end."

"Where are dad and Padfoot?" asked Alex.

Harry snorted but winced in pain. "It seems Lockhart tried to heal us, but when Padfoot saw him about to heal me, he deflected it with a shield. Needless to say, the man's jaw bones vanished."

"Excuse me?" said Alex incredulously. "Did you just say that his jaw bones _vanished_?"

"Yup," said Harry as he chuckled. "If he had done that to me, my entire spine would have vanished and I might have died on the spot. Dad is furious; he wants to charge the man with attempted murder."

Alex grimaced. Just then, Lily Potter and Minerva McGonagall entered the Hospital wing.

"Boys, how are you feeling?" asked Lily.

"My back hurts, but I guess that is to be expected," said Alex.

Madam Pomfrey hurried over to them and with a flick of her wand, vanished their clothes and covered them with a hospital sheet.

"You both are in for a rough night," she said grimly. "Normally, broken bones wouldn't be a problem, but a broken spine is highly dangerous. A damaged spinal cord could disable you permanently as your brain might not be able to transmit information to the rest of your body. You'll be here for the next two days and no exceptions. Lily, rub this gel on their backs, please."

Harry and Alex groaned as they buried their faces in the soft pillow. When Lily had gone to speak to Madam Pomfrey, they were visited by their friends and Quidditch teammates. When the rest were gone, Daphne sat down next to Harry.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Is it painful? Is there anything I can do?"

Harry blushed brightly. Normally, he wouldn't mind Daphne being here, but this time, he couldn't move! And what was worse was that he was covered up to the waist only in a thin hospital sheet without anything on underneath. Now Harry wasn't shy or overly modest about his body, but that was only when it was his brother or in the dorm! Sharing a dorm with five other people makes you not care about modesty after a while. But this was a girl!

Clearing his throat, he said, "I'm fine, Daphne. It hurts, but Madam Pomfrey has given us a pain relief potion. I should be fine in a couple of days, don't worry."

Half an hour later, Harry and Alex breathed a sigh of relief as Daphne and Susan finally left the Hospital wing. They were visited by many of their friends and acquaintances from all four Houses until it was nearly time for dinner. Thankfully, they didn't have to get up as Madam Pomfrey poured a couple of drops of Nutrient potions which reduced their hunger. They spent several hours talking to each other, laughing about Malfoy's stupidity until sleep carried them to dreamland.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alex groaned as he blinked his eyes open. Someone was very close to him, touching his face. With a yelp, he flicked his wand to his hand from the holster that was still attached to his arm and fired a banishing charm.

"Alex, what's wrong?" asked Harry. He grabbed his wand which on the table next to him with his left hand.

" _Lumos_ "

Two wand tips glowed as they saw who was there in front of them –

"DOBBY!"

Dobby had tears in eyes. "The Potter twins came back to school," he said morosely. "Dobby warned the twins to stay away from Hogwarts school, but the Potters didn't listen."

"Who do you work for, Dobby?" asked Alex with an annoyed frown. "Your master is obviously using the new law to make us leave Hogwarts and cut off the political influence of the House of Potter."

"No, sir, no," said Dobby, shaking his head. "Dobby's masters not be knowing he is helping the Potter twins. If they knew!" he said a shuddered. "But Dobby doesn't care! Dobby has to protect the Potter twins! Dobby thought his bludgers would be enough -"

"Your bludgers?" said Harry angrily, but winced in pain. "You nearly got me and my brother killed!"

"Not kill you, sir, never kill you!" said Dobby, looking at Harry and shaking his head. "Dobby just wants to protect Hadrian and Alexander Potter. Please sirs, leave this place. Dark deeds, very dark deeds are planned at Hogwarts this year. This castle be safe no more! Not now that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened once more!"

Dobby froze, terrified that he had revealed more information.

"The chamber has been opened again?" asked Alex in surprise.

"Does that mean it has been opened before? Does that mean it is real?" asked Harry. "But why would anyone target us, Dobby? We are purebloods, not to mention the descendants of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Why would the monster of Slytherin, even if it exists, target us?"

"Please ask poor Dobby no more, sir," said Dobby sobbing. "Dobby cannot say. Please, the Potter twins must go home!"

With that, the elf Disapparated with a soft pop.

Alex and Harry looked at each other with worry etched on their faces. Just then, they heard noises outside. Not wanting to be noticed, they turned off the light and pretended to be asleep. Alex saw Dumbledore arrive with McGonagall, who activated the lightning charms on the other side of the room. His eyes went wide. They had just placed Colin Creevey on the bed. The boy looked stiff and frozen. When Dumbledore opened the camera, Harry could smell the burnt plastic of the muggle contraption.

"What does this mean, Albus?" said Minerva worriedly.

"It means the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again, just as I have feared for the last fifty years," said Dumbledore grimly. "The last time was bad enough, but this – Alex Potter was right; we can't wait for the mandrakes to mature. I'll contact the apothecary to supply matured mandrakes for the Draught."

Harry and Alex looked at each other, the shock on their faces clearly visible.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"The Chamber of Secrets?" whispered Daphne incredulously. "But that was supposed to be a myth!"

"Clearly it isn't," said Harry grimly. "Dumbledore confirmed it himself."

"What's the name of the elf that is stalking you?" asked Neville.

"Dobby," said Alex. "I feel bad for him, but damn, my back hurts."

"That name is familiar," said Daphne with a frown.

"Anyone in Slytherin?" asked Susan.

Daphne's eyes went wide. "YES! I've heard Draco complain about his elf several times. Dobby is the Malfoy elf!"

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

"Malfoy?" said James angrily. "You mean to say Lucius is behind this?"

"That's what we think," said Harry.

It was night time. They had returned to their dorms in Gryffindor Tower after an effective treatment.

"But what could petrify its victims?" said Lily. "The only thing I can think of is the gaze of a Gorgon, but they are very limited in number and don't exist in Britain. Besides, how could they enter the castle without anyone knowing? No, this is something else."

"I still think it is a person using some spell on people," said James with a frown.

"I agree with dad," said Alex.

"There is something more," said Harry nervously.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Lily.

"Well, my scar throbs sometimes in the evening when we are in the common room."

Silence.

"Pack your bags; you both are coming home," said James flatly.

"Dad," said Alex, his eyes wide.

"NO!" said James. "This gone on long enough! I won't take it anymore!"

"But what about the law?" asked Harry.

"Screw the law," snarled James. "I am Lord- _fucking_ -Potter and my best friend is Lord- _fucking_ -Black! By the time we are done with him, Fudge would _wish_ he had never crossed us! What is our family motto?"

"Dad -"

"What is our family motto? Answer me!" said James angrily.

" _Natus Vincere_ ," said Harry softly.

"And what does that mean?"

"Born to Conquer," said Alex softly.

"Exactly; pack your trunks, boys. I'll see who stops me from trying to protect my sons!" said James.

"Dad, listen," said Alex patiently. "We understand what you are trying to say. But if we have to honour the family motto, how can we come home? That is exactly what Malfoy is trying to do!"

"He's right, Dad," said Harry. "I bet there is no such thing as the Chamber of Secrets. This is probably a plot by Malfoy to ensure that we can't take our Wizengamot seats and discredit us in the process."

"We'll let you know what we decide tomorrow, boys," said Lily softly. "Good night."

With that, the mirror went blank. Harry and Alex plopped themselves on the bed, sighing in frustration.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

James looked at the blank mirror and sighed in frustration. "Why does trouble seem to follow them around all the time? Wasn't last year enough?"

Lily was pacing the floor, muttering to herself. "We're missing something," she said quietly. "Something which would explain what is going on. These incidents don't connect together. Why would Lucius Malfoy send his elf to warn the boys? The Wizengamot Accession Bill is a good way to limit their power once the boys turn seventeen, but why now? What do they gain out of doing this? There is no way Harry or Alex would sit on the Wizengamot until you retire which is several decades away. And why attack Tango and now this boy? What spell are they using?"

James remained quiet. He looked at the mirror and said, "Sirius Black"

After several seconds, his best friend's face appeared on the mirror as he said, "What's up, Prongs?"

"Padfoot, compile every blackmail material you have at your disposal," said James coldly. "We're getting rid of that damn bill as soon as possible. I'll see what information my mother had gathered before she died. Ask Aunt Cassie if she has information on Dumbledore. For someone who has been in the political sphere for a century, he is sure to have skeletons in the closet; some dark secrets he doesn't want people to know about. We'll take them out before the situation gets too bad."

Sirius grinned. "I'll get right on it."

James and Lily started at the wall opposite to them, their minds racing several miles a minute.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

AN: Sorry for the late update, but I was working on the two-shot which I uploaded a few days ago and, well, real life can be a pain sometimes, so I didn't have the time to work on this. Anyway, as you as can see, the attacks can be chalked off to a dark spell. It doesn't have to be done by an animal. The attacker might use the legend of the chamber to attack muggleborns himself, which is quite plausible.

I read a review of the previous chapter and I will say now that Harry and Alex share a sibling relationship ONLY. Yikes, please don't make it anything more than that. I have nothing against gays, but I will not write such stories because I don't know how it works. So please don't think there is something going on just because they sometimes sleep on the same bed sometimes. I introduced that only because of Harry's scar and that will stop after the Horcrux is removed.

Thank you all for your reviews!


	11. Brothers and Sisters

**Chapter 11**

"He's coming around, Albus," said Madam Pomfrey as she gently massaged Colin Creevey's throat after administering him the potion. Dumbledore had purchased the Mandrake Restorative Draught from St Mungo's to revive the boy who had been petrified.

The young boy's form began trembling as he finally regained consciousness.

"Easy there, Mr Creevey," soothed Madam Pomfrey. "You're in the Hogwarts hospital wing. You're safe."

"Wha – what happened?" croaked Colin.

"You were attacked, Mr Creevey," said Dumbledore gravely. "You were petrified by an unknown party. Do you remember anything before you were attacked?"

"Ahem," fidgeted Colin. "Sorry, sir, but I don't. I was coming down to the hospital wing that night to – ahem – see if Harry and Alex were okay. I saw something I front of me, so I decided to take a picture. That's all I remember, I guess."

Dumbledore sighed. It was the same as last time. Even fifty years ago, none of the victims had been able to recall what they had seen. He had contemplated that it could be the legendary creature that had attacked the victims, but he had no proof. History was never clear about the fabled Chamber of Secrets. Tom Riddle could have certainly been behind the attacks fifty years ago, but who was doing it now? Maybe it was time to visit the ghost of Myrtle Warren again. Pleading with the girl to talk to him and give him information hadn't really worked in the past, but it wouldn't hurt to try again.

Maybe it was a good thing that the students were leaving for the holidays soon. It would give him time to thoroughly search the castle once more.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

The winter holidays finally arrived and the students of Hogwarts were quite eager to go home. There had been no more attacks after Colin Creevey's petrification, but that one attack was enough to cause chaos in the castle.

"What's everyone doing for the holidays?" asked Susan.

"My parents and I are going to France for a week," replied Daphne as she popped a chocolate frog in her mouth.

"Nothing special with me," shrugged Neville.

"Same here," muttered Alex. "But our mother did tell that she would be going to see Aunt Petunia sometime this week."

"What?" spluttered Harry. "Why?"

Harry _hated_ his aunt. The last time he had gone to visit his mother's older sister had been when he was nine, and it had been an unmitigated disaster. Petunia had been very hateful to her sister and Harry couldn't understand why his mother was trying so hard to fix her relationship with a woman she now knew wasn't even related to her by blood.

"I don't know," shrugged Alex. "But I'm certainly not going to let her go alone. Are you coming?"

"I'm not going to look at that horse-faced bitch again in my life," replied Harry angrily. "Alex, I'm warning you; don't go. You weren't there the last time. Do you know what Dudley tried to do to Belladonna? He was bullying her, and she was just a six-year-old girl back then! If Mum hadn't brought us back home, I would have cursed him into oblivion!"

"You did give him a pig's tail," said Susan casually. Daphne and Neville snickered.

Harry's cheeks tinted pink. "It's not my fault!" he said defensively. "It was accidental magic! Besides, Mum repaired the damage."

"Maybe it _is_ better if you don't visit Aunt Petunia this year," agreed Alex. "We don't want a repeat of that scene, do we?"

Harry was all for it. The rest of the train ride passed smoothly. Draco Malfoy stopped by once near their compartment, but he couldn't open the door. It had been locked with a strong _Colloportus_ charm and it was quite amusing to watch the blonde repeatedly try to open the door.

Several hours later, they finally reached Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. After hugging each other goodbye, the Potter family Flooed back home, and the boys were immediately assaulted by their sisters.

"Are you both okay?" asked Camellia worriedly. "Mum and Dad told us about the bludger attack."

"And you also called us immediately after the attack to ask we were fine," teased Harry.

Camellia huffed. "Well, if you don't want me to ask –"

Harry laughed as he hugged his little sister. The family soon had a light dinner, with the boys constantly updating their parents and siblings about what they had gotten up to at school. Just before they were about to head to bed, Alex broached the topic.

"Mum, are you going to meet Aunt Petunia again this year?"

James groaned, and so did Harry and the girls. All of them had met Petunia before and none of them wanted to talk to her again.

"Yes," sighed Lily. "I'll be meeting her two days from now. Why?"

"Can I come?" asked Alex quickly.

"I don't think that's a good idea," frowned James.

"Please, Mum?" begged Alex. "I don't want you to go there all alone."

Lily looked conflicted. She knew without a doubt that James would never agree to meet the Dursleys, so he wouldn't be accompanying her this time. Also, there was no way she would take Harry and the girls after the stunt her oldest had pulled a few years ago.

Of all her children, Alex was definitely the most level-headed.

"Fine," she said. "But I'm warning you now that it's not going to be pretty."

Harry grimaced. He shot a filthy look at his brother which Alex ignored. When they were climbing up the stairs to their rooms, the older twin cornered his younger brother.

"What part of don't go didn't you understand?" snarled Harry.

"What concern of it is yours?" snapped Alex. "I'm not asking you to meet her, I am? I know that you hate her, Harry, but that doesn't mean I'll let Mum go there alone!"

Harry sighed. "Just –" he hesitated, "just try to keep your cool, alright?"

Alex snorted. Harry was far too temperamental as compared to him. He never faced such anger problems like his older brother. Everything would be fine.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Two days later, mother and son were walking down the street in Little Whinging, Surrey. It was late evening. The festive mood was in the air and Lily kept glancing at her son who was observing his surroundings.

"This place is so weird," he muttered. "They have identical houses. Not only that, they're all practically glued to each other. How do they prevent theft without protective enchantments?"

"They have their own ways," replied Lily. "They're not as effective as what we have in the magical world, but it works for them."

"Didn't you grow up in this house?"

"We moved here after my first year at Hogwarts," admitted Lily softly. "I still remember how happy we were at moving to a new home. Petunia and I could finally have our own bedrooms and it was larger than my childhood home. After my parents died, they willed it to my sister. I never thought I would feel so unwelcome in the home I grew up in."

"Then why are we here?" asked Alex in exasperation. "Come on, Mum, you know that she hates you! You're not even related!"

"I may have been adopted, Alex, but that does not mean I love my parents any less. I promised my mother on her deathbed that I would mend my relationship with Petunia. I will not break my promise."

"Mum, had Grandma been alive, do you think she would have wanted you to do this?" asked Alex earnestly. "You said that Grandma was very practical . . . well, mending your relationship with Aunt Petunia isn't going to be easy! You've tried so many times and she still hates you!"

"A little encouragement would go a long way. You can go back home if you're so against it."

Alex remained silent. He would not let his mother face these people alone. He looked at his surroundings wearily. Their family didn't venture into the Muggle world that often, so this was a surreal experience for him.

Lily took a deep breath as she rang the doorbell. They waited for several seconds until the front door of the house finally opened.

"You," spat Petunia. "What part of _don't come here_ didn't you understand?"

Alex mentally grimaced. They were already on to a bad start.

"And why did you bring _him_ along?" shrieked Petunia. "He's the one who attacked my poor Dudders the last time!"

"Hello, Aunt Petunia. I'm afraid you've mistaken me for my twin brother," said Alex, forcing a smile on his face. "I'm Alex, not Harry."

"Turney, do you want to have this conversation outside, where everyone can overhear?" asked Lily softly.

Petunia scowled as she reluctantly led them inside. Alex looked around curiously. The last time he had met the Dursleys was when he was seven years old, but even then, he had never been inside their house. The mantelpiece in the living room was filled with pictures of Dudley Dursley. He fought the urge to laugh at one of the pictures. Alex's cousin was wearing a brown jacket and orange trousers. That hat he was sporting was also ridiculous!

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Petunia was glaring hatefully at her sister.

"What do you want now?" she spat. "Didn't you receive my letter telling you _not_ to come?"

"Turney, it has been three years since that incident," said Lily in resignation. "We're _sisters_! Is it wrong for me to come and see how you're doing?"

The older sister sniffed. "I don't fraternize with freaks such as you. We're a normal family. It would have been a lot better had you left us alone."

Lily sighed in frustration. "Petunia, please. Just explain to me once and for all what your problem with me is. Is it only because of me being magical?"

Petunia snapped as all the bitterness that had mounted over the years reach its peak. "Of course it's because of you and your abnormal powers!" she shrieked. "Don't you remember how close we once were before we met that horrible Snape boy? I _told_ you to stay away from him –"

"– and in hindsight, you were right," muttered Lily to herself.

"– but no," sneered Petunia. "Lily Evans was too excited about being a witch that she forgot about the rest of her family. Always hanging around with that horrible boy and using more of your freakish powers. Do you remember the time he nearly killed me?"

Lily paused. At one point in their childhood, Severus had lost control of his magic and had nearly caused a branch to fall on Petunia's head. That incident had caused her sister to be scared of magic. That didn't stop her from writing to Dumbledore, though.

"This grudge has gone on long enough, Petunia," reasoned Lily. "I'm nearly thirty-eight years old. I was eleven when I went to Hogwarts. All these years I have tried to mend our relationship, but you still hold it against me. I can't help but be magical. I didn't choose to be born with it. Why don't you understand that?"

"Yes, you can't help but be a freak," spat Petunia. "It was all Mum and Dad could ever see since the day you got that blasted letter. We have a witch in the family, isn't it wonderful? I was the only one to see what you truly were! They never cared about me with you around. It was always Lily this, and Lily that!"

"They had you at home throughout the year!" replied Lily heatedly. "I used to come home only for two months, and I was living in a place that was unknown to them. Can't we get along at least for the sake of our parents? I promised Mum before she died that I would mend my relationship with you, Petunia, _please!_ "

Petunia looked away, still scowling. Just when she was about to reply, there was an explosion from the living room.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Alex was sitting on a sofa in the living room, reading one of Aunt Petunia's magazines. He found it odd that none of the pictures moved. He was also fascinated with some of the gadgets that were in the living room, especially the television. Just as he was looking around, the front door opened and Vernon entered.

"It's not a bother at all, Marge," said Vernon as he dragged his sister's luggage inside the house. "It's not your fault that your flight was cancelled."

"Yes," said Marge imperiously. "I had been looking forward to this vacation. I had to leave poor Ripper with the Colonel too. What they do with – and who are you?"

Alex looked at the people who had entered the living room, wondering what to say. His mother and aunt were still in the kitchen and probably hadn't heard them come in. While he hadn't met his aunt's husband before, the pictures in the room gave him enough indication to know that this was his uncle. He hesitated only for a moment before he introduced himself.

"Hello, Uncle Vernon," said Alex, smiling faintly. "I'm Alex Potter. My mother decided to visit Aunt Petunia today, so I decided to tag along. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Vernon's face turned red in anger. "You!" he said waspishly. "You're the one who attacked Dudley the last time! How dare you enter my house?"

"That wasn't me! That was -"

"Oh, so you're Petunia's nephew, eh?" commented Marge shrewdly, interrupting him.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we have been introduced," said Alex politely.

"Marge Dursley," sniffed the woman. "I've heard about you, of course."

"Get out, boy," said Vernon angrily. "I don't want any of your freakishness in my house! I won't tolerate it, I tell you!"

Alex frowned. _Freakishness?_

"Let him stay, Vernon," said Marge, with a glint in her eye. "What did you say his father is? An unemployed drunken layabout, wasn't it?"

Vernon swallowed slightly when he saw the smile slip from Alex's face. "My father is not a drunk," he said quietly. "Please refrain from commenting on things you know nothing about. It only makes you look like a fool."

"You see here boy –" began Vernon angrily, but was cut off by his sister who laughed.

"Defending them, are we?" she said sarcastically. "You need to be taught some manners, boy, and watch that mouth of yours. I know _exactly_ what your parents do. Vernon and Petunia have told me everything."

"And what is everything?" asked Alex furiously, trying his best to control his temper. His hand was trembling in fury as he desperately tried to bury his emotions under his Occlumency shields. Who did this woman think she was and how dare she call his father a drunk?

Marge snorted. "I'm telling you, Vernon, it all comes down to breeding," she commented, as though they were having a casual conversation about a lab experiment. "Nothing against Petunia's family, but it shows that something went wrong when your wife turned out so well, but her sister chose the path of a prostitute."

Alex's head snapped up in shock, his green eyes glowing with suppressed rage. Vernon cast nervous glances at the boy. He knew what had happened the last time when Dudley had gotten a pig's tail, and he was determined to make his sister stop before she did more damage.

"Maybe we should get you to the guest room, Marge. I'm sure dinner will be ready soon. Also, Dudley should be back home any minute now."

"Proud of your parents, boy?" sneered Marge. "You can't hope to compete with our little Dudders. After all, you're the son of a drunk and a whore. You can quote me on this, Vernon, as a professional dog breeder, I have observed that if there's something wrong with the bitch, there's something wrong with the pup –"

That was all she said before Alex screamed in anger. The windows shattered and the two Dursleys were thrown against the wall violently.

"Boy!" roared Vernon.

"Don't you dare!" snarled Alex furiously. He had never been this angry in his life. He could handle it if anyone insulted him personally, but no one had the right to insult his parents. That was the reason he and Harry hated Snape so vehemently and why Harry had extracted his revenge on the former Potions Master the previous year.

Alex slashed his wand as Marge screamed in pain. He had broken the bones in her hand. She also seemed to be inflating like a balloon. The lights in the living room were flickering due to the amount of magic in the air. Her buttons popped but she was still expanding. Vernon tried to attack Alex but with another flick of the latter's wand, Vernon found himself upside down, dangling by his ankle.

"How dare you call my mother a whore?" yelled Alex. "I'll show you who the prostitute really is!"

"ALEX POTTER!"

The boy turned towards the entrance of the living room only to see the furious face of his mother.

Lily was beside herself. She could not even say anything to describe the fury she was currently feeling. "Alex, what are you doing?"

"Vernon!" screeched Petunia in panic as she moved towards her husband. "You!" she rounded on her sister. "It's your fault that this has happened! You and your son's freakishness and abnormality! This is the second time my family has been attacked because of you. Fix this NOW!"

"Mum –"

Lily ignored her son as she waved her wand in a fluid motion. Everything repaired itself as the shards of glass attached themselves to the windows. Within a minute, the living room was back to its former condition.

"What spells did you use?" snapped Lily.

"I – I – well – a bone-breaking curse," cringed Alex. "Also Levicorpus and the Banishing charm."

"What about what you did that woman? She's inflated like a balloon!"

"I didn't use any spells for that," he admitted softly. "Probably accidental magic."

Lily pursed her lips as she began repairing the damage caused. She mended the broken bones and deflated Marge Dursley.

"Get out, you freaks!" spat Petunia hatefully. "Take your abnormalities with you and never darken my doorstep! From now on, we're no longer related!"

"Big deal, _Muggle_!" shot back Alex furiously. "Grandpa and Grandma adopted Mum when she was a baby! Your wish came true! You both aren't related. Are you happy?"

Lily looked at her son with an unreadable expression on her face. Taking a deep breath, she pointed her wand at the three Dursleys. She knew without a doubt that this was probably the last time she would ever meet Petunia. With that in mind, she cast the charm.

 _"_ _Obliviate."_

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 _Potter Manor_

Twelve-year-old Harry Potter was on the first floor of his parents' palatial study. He was looking for James' hand-written notes on Human Transfiguration that he wanted to refer before his father continued training him during the holidays. Just as he finished copying the notes, the door to the study downstairs opened with a bang.

Harry was startled. From his angle, he could see what was going on, but he cast an eavesdropping charm to listen.

"Mum, please hear me out," begged Alex. "You don't understand what happened!"

Lily Potter fixed her son with a cold look. "Vernon insulted me," she said in a clipped tone. "And you attacked him. Did I miss anything?"

"Not only Uncle Vernon, but that horrible woman did so too! She called you – she called you a prostitute! She called Dad an unemployed drunk!"

The Floo in the study flashed green and James stepped out. "I got your Patronus message," he said sharply. "What happened?"

"What happened," snorted Lily, "is that our son decided to attack Vernon and his sister. He also seemed to be enjoying it. Some would call it Muggle baiting."

Alex paled. "Mum –"

"Son, what did you do?" sighed James. He didn't seem surprised.

"He inflated Marge Dursley like a balloon," shouted Lily furiously. "He destroyed their living room, used bone-breaking curses on them, and finally revealed to Petunia that I was adopted."

"Why would you do such a thing?" asked James, frowning at him. "Alex, do you realize that since you were in a Muggle area, you not only violated the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, but also the International Statute of Secrecy? You could be dragged to court for this!"

"That bitch insulted my parents!" yelled Alex. "What did you expect me to do? Stand still and take all the insults she heaped on me?"

"No, but I expected you to not use magic in their house, especially after the stunt Harry pulled the last time!" snapped Lily. "You know that Petunia and Vernon hate magic! That's the reason my sister and I are virtual strangers today. What you did was not an accident! You did it intentionally, to cause pain! I understand that you were angry, Alex, but how could you lose control like that and lash out at them? You _wanted_ to see them suffer, don't deny it! Such actions from the general population were what caused the rise of Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the first place!"

Alex swallowed as he understood why his mother was so angry. "Mum, that's not the reason," he pleaded. "I – I couldn't handle her calling you a prostitute!"

James' face tightened. "She called my wife a what?" he whispered harshly.

"She called Mum a whore and you an unemployed drunk! I tried to control myself, honest, but when she began comparing us to dogs, my magic lashed out! I didn't mean to lose control, I swear!"

"Go to your room," said Lily quietly. "I'm too angry to even speak to you right now. I never thought my son would utter the word _Muggle_ with such anger and disgust."

"That was only because she kept calling you a freak!" defended Alex with tears in his eyes. "Mum, I'm sorry!"

Lily turned her back on him, breathing deeply. James looked agitated as he sighed. "Go to your room, son," he said gently. "We'll talk later."

Alex nodded, wiping his tears away as he slowly walked out of his parents' study. Just as the door snapped shut, James looked at his wife shrewdly.

"Can you show me?" he asked.

Lily nodded as she flicked her wand to summon the Pensieve. She pointed her wand at her temple and extracted the memory and deposited it into the device. James dived into the Pensieve and came out a few minutes later.

He sighed as he pulled his wife into a hug. "I can understand why you're angry," he admitted softly.

Lily allowed the tears to fall as she choked on a sob. "I was making progress," she admitted softly. "Petunia was at least receptive to me, but I don't think I can bring myself to ever talk to her again, even though I wiped her memory. But that's not what bothers me, James. It's the way Alex called them _Muggles_."

"Lily, you know that's not the case. Alex does not harbour a hatred for Muggles. He's just a boy. He lost control. Hell, even I would have lost control had anyone called my mother a whore! Don't you remember how Snape and I used to curse each other when we were at school?"

She sighed. "I know," she muttered. "He's lucky that he won't be dragged to Amelia's office for this. The only reason the Ministry didn't detect his magic is because I removed the trace from the boys' wands after they bought it. This incident – it brings back terrible memories of my years at Hogwarts, and of the war. I may be a pureblood in the traditional sense, but I am and shall always be Lily Evans. I am a Muggleborn at heart and no one can change that. And my own son acting like this . . ."

"And I fell in love with that Muggleborn girl," said James soothingly, rubbing her back. "But don't let the bigotry you faced at Hogwarts and during the war influence your thoughts on this incident. Alex was angry because of them calling us names. He just responded in kind. He's a child, Lily, and it is our job to tell him where he went wrong. He won't know unless we discipline him. Our children aren't pureblood bigots, you _know_ that!"

Lily nodded silently. She chuckled bitterly. "And here I thought Alex was the most level-headed of them all. I shudder to think what might have happened had I taken Harry along too. With the anger fuelling him, the Horcrux might have influenced him to take drastic actions. Vernon's sister might have only been a smear on the wall."

James exhaled. "I'm working on that, by the way," he muttered. "I've compiled a list of rituals based on blood magic. We'll need to integrate them all together and create a new one to extract the soul-piece without killing Harry in the process."

He sat down in an armchair and pulled his wife to his lap. He stroked her hair as he tried to get her to relax. "You're overworked," he muttered. "Maybe we should have gone on a vacation this winter."

"No, it's okay," whispered Lily, snuggling into his hold.

On the first floor, Harry smiled slightly when he saw his parents sitting together. He was just about to leave through a secret passageway when he heard his father speak.

"We you able to get a copy of the prophecy about Harry, Alex and Voldemort?" asked James.

"Yes," replied Lily. "I had to convince Croaker to lift the protective enchantments on the sphere for me to view it, but he finally agreed. Listen."

She removed another strand of memory and deposited it in the Pensieve. A figure of Sybill Trelawney rose from its depths and spoke in a hoarse voice.

 _"_ _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches . . . born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies_ . . . _and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not . . . and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives . . . the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month . . ."_

"What does this mean?" muttered James. "Were both Harry and Alex marked by Voldemort?"

"Alex's scar was due to the magical backlash," explained Lily quietly. "Harry was the one who he targeted. However, we cannot assume anything because prophecies are difficult to interpret. It could still mean them both."

"Either must die at the hand of the other," frowned James. "That means they, which is most probably Harry, will have to face Voldemort in the end to kill him."

"According to the prophecy – yes," muttered Lily.

Harry deactivated the eavesdropping charm and escaped through a secret passageway. He was gone before his parents even knew he was there.

"But not all prophecies are fulfilled, James. Just because Trelawney predicted it doesn't mean it _has_ to come true. The future is always uncertain."

James hummed as he rested his chin on his wife's head, lost in thought. "Can you tell me more about the Horcruxes?"

"It's classified, sorry," she apologised. "The department is working on it, but I can't tell you more. Any progress in getting the Wizengamot Accession Act repealed?"

"We're still digging for enough blackmail material," smirked James. "We're already got some, but I've sent the house-elves to keep an eye on Fudge and his movements. I can't touch Dumbledore, but Fudge has enough support through members of the Wizengamot for him to pull some strings. With him in my grasp, I can get that stupid law repealed."

"Good," whispered Lily, kissing his chin softly. "I'm so tired."

"You need to clear things up with Alex," said James firmly.

"I know," sighed Lily. "I'll talk to him later tonight."

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

Harry swallowed as he collapsed on his bed. His mind was spinning as he recalled the prophecy . . . a prophecy that had marked both him and his brother. A prophecy that would force them to confront Voldemort at some point in their lives. Harry remembered his first meeting with Voldemort six months ago. The Dark Lord had promised to kill both him and Alex, and Harry would not let that happen. He and his brother would train and learn more magic . . . anything to defeat Voldemort!

His mind drifted to his brother and Harry immediately rushed out of his bedroom. He checked the room right next to his and found Alex not there. He quickly walked down the marble staircase, reached the entrance hall, and exited the manor through the front doors. The gentle breeze of the night ruffled his hair as he searched for the large oak tree a couple of hundred feet away from the manor. When Harry had once told his brother that he wished Alex was never born, this was where the younger twin had hidden, and this was where they had finally reconciled. It was where Alex would hide whenever he was angry or upset.

"Figured I'd find you up here," commented Harry.

Alex was perched on a branch of the oak tree. He looked down to spot his twin brother who took a seat on the ground, leaning against the tree trunk. "What are you doing here?" he asked curiously.

"I was in Mum and Dad's study when you returned home," said Harry softly. "I heard everything."

"Oh."

Alex took a deep breath. "You were right," he admitted quietly. "I shouldn't have gone with her to visit that bitch."

"I'm always right."

"Now is not the time to get smart, brother dear," snorted Alex.

"But I am the smart twin," grinned Harry.

"And I'm the handsome twin, now shut up!" said Alex, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to form on his face.

Harry stood up and carefully climbed up the tree as well. The branches were already charmed to be unbreakable so it was without any fear that he sat next to his brother, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"I don't blame you for losing control," admitted Harry in a low voice. "Had I been there, I probably would have killed this Marge woman."

"Nothing less than she deserves," spat Alex bitterly, clenching his fists. "But I've never seen Mum so angry before. Even our biggest pranks until now haven't made her react like this."

"I know," said Harry soothingly. "But I think it was mainly due to you calling them 'Muggles'. What exactly happened?"

"It was not meant to be an insult!" defended Alex. "She kept calling us freaks and I called her a Muggle. What's wrong with that? Does she think I'm a blood purist like Malfoy?"

"Come on, mate, you know she doesn't . . . Dad said it brought back memories of the time she spent at school. Don't you remember him telling how much bigotry she had to put up with back then?"

"I guess," exhaled Alex. "Maybe I should have controlled myself –"

"You're not a saint, Alex, you know that!" said Harry in exasperation. "You have more patience than I do! It's their fault for provoking you with their words."

"Mum and Dad won't agree with you."

"Forget about them. I'm telling you that you did nothing wrong. And you better listen to me, little brother, because I'm older and wiser."

Alex snorted in amusement. "Fifty-five seconds does not make you older and wiser, you dolt," he said wryly.

Harry chuckled. "That's still nearly a minute. I learnt a lot in those fifty-five seconds, you know. I had a private chat with Merlin too so that I could one day bestow my knowledge to lesser mortals."

"Like me?"

"Knew you'd understand."

"You're crazy," muttered Alex under his breath. Harry simply laughed.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the cold breeze. The warming charms on their clothes kept them warm enough for the breeze to feel nice against their skin. Finally, Harry broke the silence.

"There is something you should know," he said in a serious voice. "When I was eavesdropping, I also heard the contents of the prophecy. The same prophecy –"

"– that Voldemort mentioned at the end of last term!" exclaimed Alex excitedly. "What does it say?"

Harry sighed as he repeated the wordings to his brother. At the end of it, Alex was looking pale. "Whatever I was expecting, it wasn't that," he admitted softly. "It means you, doesn't it?"

"Not really sure," admitted Harry as he kept swinging his legs in the air. "While there is no denying that Voldemort's curse hit me, both of us have scars – mine due to the curse and yours due to the magical backlash. Mum says the prophecy is too vague. It could still refer to either of us."

"Voldemort said that what happened that night is irrelevant," muttered Alex. "That he would kill both us because he considers us dangerous. And after what happened with the Philosopher's stone . . ."

Both of them swallowed nervously.

"We'll work hard and study," said Harry defiantly. "We can do this!"

"Yeah!" said Alex firmly. "With both of us working together, Voldemort had better run with his tail between his legs!"

They looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Can you imagine?" gasped Harry. "Voldemort actually having a tail?"

"I wonder what his Animagus form is," grinned Alex. "If I had to guess, it would be –"

"– a frog?"

"No, a mongoose. I think that would be the ultimate prank against His Snakiness!"

"And what are you going to be?" teased Harry. "I bet you'll be a chameleon!"

"I'm not going to be a colour-changing lizard!" exclaimed Alex, looking horrified. "I want to be something cool, like a large panther!"

"No fair, I wanted to be a panther!"

"Oh, please, with your temper, you'll probably be an overemotional lion," teased Alex. "All you have to do is sit in the middle of the forest and read a book. The tigress – well, Daphne – will bring you food and –"

He avoided a punch Harry threw at him and jumped to the ground. The boys kept laughing and wrestling as their parents watched from a distance with a smile on their faces.

James placed a kiss on his wife's forehead. "Everything will be fine," he murmured. "You'll see."

Lily hummed. "Come on, let's tuck the girls in bed. These two can remain here for a while. I'll talk to Alex before he goes to bed."

The couple walked back inside the manor with content smiles on their faces, happy to have all their children together again for the holidays.

 **HP*POWER OF TWO*HP**

 ** _AN:_** ** _I apologise for the long delay in uploading a new chapter. I had hit a dry spell in this story, but thankfully, I now have the entire scene mapped out. It will be easier to write the story now that I know how it's going to proceed. Sorry for keeping you all waiting. I assure you that I haven't abandoned this fic. Thank you for your patience._**


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